Heartbreaker
by Metatron85
Summary: From an idea by smardiculous. Tori and Jade meet one another at the end of their second year in UCLA. After going out for a few months, Tori learns of Jade's reputation for cheating and splitting after the relationship gets physical. So when Jade wants to go beyond first base, Tori is hesitant. Can she face her own fears? Is Jade trustworthy? Is this just another fling? AU Jori.
1. Meet Cute

This story was inspired by a prompt from our friend, smardiculous. Started out as a short story but I couldn't cram everything I wanted to do in something so short, so here is a longer fic for you.

In this alternate universe, there is no Hollywood Arts. In fact, Tori and Jade don't officially meet each other until a couple years into college. That being said, we will have some familiar faces popping up here as well but with different histories.

* * *

 _"Your love is like a tidal wave_  
 _Spinning over my head_  
 _Drownin' me in your promises_  
 _Better left unsaid"_

 **\- Pat Benatar (Heartbreaker)**

* * *

The quad was abuzz with the colors and sounds of spring. Flowers blossomed and birds chirped amidst the twenty-somethings practicing their instruments, chatting, or playing ultimate Frisbee. Now that was business as usual but today was extra special. Today was the annual barbecue.

The upperclassmen would put on a barbecue for all of the undergrads below them as a way of taking the edge off before spring break. There was a stage where a local band performed, contests and lots of good food. But one thing that made it a blast for the students was the seniors would chip in to get a clunker from the junkyard. They would then park it in the middle of the quad, just outside the student center, and everybody could just wail on it. They even provided baseball bats and golf clubs. Smash it, dent it, stomp on it; go nuts.

This year, they lucked out and got the old car from a senior who upgraded to a yellow sports car. So here was a white Cutlass Sierra in almost immaculate condition because the former owner took good care of it. The student body would take care of that in a hurry.

Sufficient to say, it was a rather boisterous time around the campus. So much so that it made it hard for some to study.

Tori Vega, sophomore, was just such a person.

She was a little introverted but didn't mind gatherings. However, she was really having a difficult time cramming for her economics exam coming up with all of the noise. Tori couldn't figure out how something as intricate as economics could be legal to teach at eight in the morning. But others in her class didn't seem to have this problem so why complain about it?

Tori didn't have luck finding a quiet place to study. She tried her go-to: the library. But it was being fumigated and closed off to all students and staff. She then thought of the sciences building, which was usually quiet this time of day because of the free period. Unfortunately, because of the festivities, they turned the big lecture hall into a makeshift movie theater where they were showing some action movie from France that caught the interest of students who weren't even taking French.

Her options were running out. She then tried the lower level of the student center, which was underground. As Tori descended the stairs, the sounds of outside began to drown out. The most action this side of the college gets is from the computer lab with so many terminals you can feel the heat generating from these machines all working at once.

A little further away from the computer lab, Tori spotted a dimly-lit rather smallish luncheon. It had a couple of vending machines and about eight tables with chairs. Not another soul was in here, so the half-Latina breathed a sigh of relief and threw her bag on one of the tables. She plopped down and proceeded to take out her books when a squeaking sound grabbed her attention.

In the doorway was a raven-haired beauty, her pale fingers clutching the wall. Her expression and slumped posture made it look like she had just broken a potential fall. Before Tori could ask if she was alright, the girl locked eyes with her and sneered.

"What are you staring at?"

Tori shook her head nervously "I wasn't..." Considering how she was both surprised and concerned, she was obviously lying here.

Once the mysterious girl righted herself up, Tori could see that her combat boots were the culprit for making that squeaky sound. Definitely different than the retro-style high tops Tori often wore.

After admonishing Tori just a few seconds ago for staring, the girl tilted her head as she studied her and the books around her.

"You're _studying_?" she asked.

"Yes," Tori responded rather mousy.

The girl looked back at the door, indicating the cavalcade of fun just outside, and then back to Tori.

"Why?"

Tori made a face and sighed, holding up her economics textbook.

The Goth's face fell. "Oh no, Professor Charme?"

The book slammed down onto the table, making a nice sound for effect. "Yup."

"Ugh," she said folding her arms and looking disgusted. "Had him last year. Good-fucking-riddance."

Tori laid her elbow on the table and propped her arm, making her hand the perfect level to catch her sad face.

"His class was full when I was a freshman. I really wish he was out of the way so I could move on."

Surprisingly to her, the girl sat down across from her. "What's your major?"

"Teaching but I have all these requirements before my electives, of course."

"Oh I know about that. I had to take physics. I'm an English major and with a performing arts minor and they want me to become a scientist, too."

Tori chuckled, "Maybe you should take chemistry. If you become famous and make a fragrance you'd be the very first celebrity to have actually made their perfume in the lab."

The girl smirked, leaning back on her chair and putting up one of her black army boots. "You're giving me way too much credit. I suck at science."

"I dunno," Tori shrugged. "You looked like you had a handle on inertia back there."

The girl looked at the door and back at Tori with a grimace.

"All I did was trip and break my fall. Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to any change in its state of motion including changes to its speed..." she gave Tori a glare for almost ten seconds but it melted into a laugh. "You just tricked me, didn't you?"

"Oh, I'll never tell" Tori beamed, proud of herself.

"Got a name bookworm?"

"Tori...Tori Vega."

The girl made a face, "Not bad but could you do it more Sean Connery?"

"What?"

She shook her head "Never mind." Then the girl extended her hand "Jade."

"Wow, that's a pretty girl...pretty NAME! I said name. Did I say name?" Tori's face blushed in total embarrassment.

Jade giggled, "You did but not before proving Freud was right."

Indeed. Tori had to admit to herself that this pale skin Goth with piercing blue-green eyes was the most gorgeous girl she had ever seen on campus. How did 2 years go past and this one go completely unnoticed to her? Perhaps she _had_ been buried in her studies a little too much. The funny thing was that her confidence was coming in these abrupt waves followed immediately by feelings of wanting to run and hide. Its like she's of two minds; she really wants to impress this girl while the other half wishes she would leave and find somebody more interesting.

Now she was panicking because her little slip of the tongue has a been hanging out there for too long.

"I didn't mean what I said," Tori said really fast, nervous.

"You mean I don't have a pretty...name?"

"No," Tori shook her head. "I meant that. I just..."

"Some would say Tori is a beautiful name, too."

Tori looked like a deer in headlights "Oh, really?" She rubbed the collar of her shirt, wondering who just turned up the heat in this room.

"Hey, Tori?"

"Y-Y-es?" she stammered.

"Remember when you took my hand when I told you my name?"

Tori nodded.

"DO you remember letting it go?"

They both looked down and sure enough, Tori's hand was still touching hers. Not in the form of a handshake, mind you.

Jade tilted her head "I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume you are a member of Ellen's Army."

"I don't follow..."

"Chicks! You like chicks?"

Tori pulled her hand away and was even more out of sorts that before. She looked around the room, looking very apprehensive. She got up to go, unconsciously leaving her stuff behind, when Jade cut her off holding onto her wrists.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" she said. "Where are you going, Vega?"

"I just," she gulped, her face beginning to grow intense like she was about to cry. "Nobody...knows."

"Hey, hey, its alright" Jade's voice lowered to a soothing tone. "Please sit down."

Jade led Tori back to the table, only this time Jade picked up her chair to sit next to her.

"Tori, listen to me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with whatever you're feeling okay? You got that?"

The half-Latina just looked at her, still frenzied.

"How long have you known?"

"Um, since " she sighed. "High school I guess."

Jade took Tori's hand once more. "Sorry that I didn't know you then. I mean it must have been horrible keeping that all inside."

"I've gotten used to it," Tori shrugged.

"Well you shouldn't," Jade narrowed her eyes. "That's no way to live. It's not even living. You pretty much go out into the world as this avatar that you hope the world perceives as normal. But you will be much happier if you were yourself instead."

Tori looked long and hard at this Jade girl that she had only met moments ago. In this short time, this young woman had shook her to the core. She reached Tori in a way that people she had known her whole life wasn't able to do. Nobody had said such a thing to her. Maybe if she came out during high school, the guidance counselor would have said something similar. But that was his job; to be encouraging.

But here with Jade, holding her hand and looking her dead in the eye, it felt a thousand times more genuine.

"May I also assume the position that you are speaking from experience?" Tori asked.

Jade rubbed the inside of her mouth with her tongue. "You could say that."

Tori took a deep breath and made a very slow blink, gathering up the courage.

"I know it sounds a little cliché but would you like to go get some coffee?"

Somehow Tori's brown eyes made the word coffee electrifying.

"I. Love. Coffee." Jade responded. "Come on, I know a place."

She got up to start heading out, with Tori still holding hands. Jade looked back and reminded her "Your stuff?"

"Oh, right" Tori whipped around, quickly threw her books into her messenger bag and rejoined Jade. "What?"

Jade realizing she was just looking at Tori, saying nothing, quickly shook her head.

"Nothing," she replied. "Let's go."


	2. Over a Few Cups of Coffee

**A/N: So great to read your reactions to the first chapter. I wasn't sure if it would get people's interest but I'm glad it worked. Hope to hear more from you.**

 **Sorry this one is shorter than the last one but I'm really sleepy and I have a very, very busy day tomorrow.**

* * *

Jade led Tori to a coffee shop called Jet Brew, which was a local chain. She told Tori on the way over that she preferred this place over the indie coffee place closer to the college. Too many yuppies and hipsters coupled with bland alt rock from bands with names like Helms '108.

They arrived and Jade ordered a Columbian roast with two sugars. Tori ordered a French roast with lots of cream and lots of sugar. Before she could fish out cash, Jade stopped her and bought for the both of them.

"You didn't have to," Tori protested.

"You can get next time," Jade smiled.

"Next...time?"

Tori was left standing there a little confused when Jade found a booth for them.

"So," Tori began. "You said you were an English major with a minor in...what again?"

Jade took a short sip "Performing arts."

"What are you, an actress?"

"Sometimes," she took a pause to really take in her coffee's aroma. "But I'm really interested in writing and directing?"

"You want to be a filmmaker," Tori nodded. "Plan on making something?"

"I've already did, sort of. Well, nothing you would see on a billboard or in _Variety_ , But I did direct a short film. Nothing much; just an eight-minute thing. It won an award from some online festival."

Tori's eyes went wide, "Wow, I'm impressed. Maybe you can show me it."

"Really? You'd want to see it?"

"I'd love to," Tori smiled.

Jade brushed back one of her onyx tresses.

"What about you?" she asked Tori. "What are you serving time for in this institution?"

Tori chortled at the analogy, accidentally snorting. She quietly cursed herself for looking like such a goof with that awkward laugh of hers. It was one of the main reasons Tori rarely laughed. Jade noticed it and in all honesty thought it made the laugh genuine and to her it was kind of cute. But she didn't dare acknowledge it for risk of the turtle going back into her shell.

"Teaching" Tori responded.

Jade nodded. "I can see that. But that's got to be really hard, huh?"

Tori shrugged. "The prerequisites were rough but now I'm finally taking almost all teaching courses. I mean, they weren't all bad. One of my favorites was in my freshman year there was this children's literature class. We read books like Harry Potter, Matilda, Narnia, some Judy Blume. But my favorite had to be when we read Grimm's fairy tales in their original form."

That peaked Jade's interest. She had heard those old fairy tales were actually quite violent.

"Have you read Cinderella?"

"No," Jade replied.

"In the end of the book, when Cinderella ends up with her prince; these birds come out of nowhere and peck out the eyes of her evil stepsisters." Tori made a little face like she was disgusted by that but her smile said otherwise.

"Cool," Jade nodded. "What were you going to teach?"

"Well, I was torn for the longest time between history and English. Both had my interest for the same reason: they each told stories. But at the end of the day, I had to go with English because I just love Shakespeare and poetry so much."

"Have any favorites?"

Tori put her bag on the table and took out a small paperback.

"I do have one that comes to mind."

Once she was about to start, Tori noticed there was a smudge on her lens so she took off her glasses and tried cleaning them with a napkin. When she got it to her satisfaction, Tori put them back on and quickly realized Jade was kind of staring at her.

"What?" Tori chuckled.

Jade grinned, "I've been meaning to tell you; those are some interesting glasses you've got."

Tori instinctively touched her frames with her hand as if they were crooked.

"Oh?"

"I didn't mean it to come out like that. Its just that I usually see smaller, more invisible glasses, not..."

"Really big, dark frames" Tori interrupted.

Jade shook her head "No, I dig them. You wear your glasses for reading?"

"No, I need them all the time. Normally I wear contacts but I ran out of solution, so I had to go for my trusty lenses."

"Why do you bother with contacts?" Jade scrunched up her nose.

"What do you mean?"

"What's wrong with wearing glasses?"

Tori rapidly shook her head "No, no. I look hideous in these..."

"No, you don't. You have really pretty eyes and your glasses kind of...frame them...like a painting. Totally not hideous."

The half-Latina blushed, "Think so?"

"Nothing more hot that a girl in glasses. I kind of hope you decide to ditch the contacts because losing _that_ would be a shame" Jade pointed at Tori.

"Why do you keep saying these things to me?" Tori asked.

Jade held an open fist to her mouth, nibbling on her own thumb.

"I guess I'm crushing on you, Tori Vega. What do you think about that?"

Tori smiled nervously, looking around herself like there was a television crew waiting to jump out and surprise her and tell her this was all an elaborate prank. She just couldn't believe what was happening; this drop dead gorgeous girl was coming on to her. Tori kept her true nature hidden for so long that having such a conversation with another woman was a distant fantasy. But here it was in dizzying reality.

Her head was swimming and all of these compliment of how she was pretty was not helping. Strangely enough, as Jade was advancing things, Tori was inspired to further the flirting herself. So this afternoon at the coffee shop was becoming this give and take of pleasantries that bordered on declarations of sexual passion.

"So, Tori; how about that poem you promised?"

Tori cleared her throat as she opened the bookmarked page.

 _"You do not have to be good.  
You do not have to walk on your knees  
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.  
You only have to let the soft animal of your body  
love what it loves.  
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.  
Meanwhile the world goes on."_

"That was really nice," Jade said. "I'd like to hear more."

And they did remain at the café for quite a while longer, talking as well as Tori reading more tidbits from her poetry book. Both girls openly acknowledged the physical attractions, though Tori often denies that there is anything "alluring" about her. Here, Jade and Tori were beginning to scratch the surface and really find out what makes the other tick.

Jade could wax eloquently and passionately about horror movies the same as Tori can with literature. The two were really beginning to hit it off. Jade was able to savor her coffee's flavor because she was already getting her warmth, comfort and energy from the girl named Tori Vega sitting across from her.

There was just something about her.

Jade didn't know what it was but that was part of the fun.

* * *

 **A/N: The excerpt Tori read is from a poem called "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, one of many popular LGBT poets published in books. Go check some of them out.**


	3. Blast From the Past

**A/N: Sorry this update took a while but I had a tough week.**

 **Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

The semester was over and summer break was on in a big way. Tori and Jade became girlfriends shortly after their chance meeting anybody who knew them couldn't think of a time when they were happier.

Jade was a real rebel, talking Tori into things her normal timid self would never think of, nor actually do. She dragged Tori into riding dune buggies on the beach, which the half-Latina ended up a mouthful of sand. Then at the amusement park, Jade tricked Tori into what she told her was a slow and romantic ride. Turned out to be a jaw-dropping roller coaster that violently spun you around.

That one landed Jade in the doghouse for the rest of the day.

But Tori really was in love. For the very first time, she was not only out but with the most beautiful girl in the world. She believed she was the luckiest person who ever lived. Everything about this summer was perfect and Tori was having the time of her life. So, she let a lot fall by the wayside when it came to Jade. She would flutter those baby blues and Tori was butter.

One thing that Tori was adamant about, which Jade surprisingly respected, was taking things slowly in the physical sense. In her mind, Tori wanted them to get to know one another, warts and all. Before they could reach that plateau, there had to be no doubt in their love and devotion. Jade saw where she was coming from and didn't want to push the issue.

That didn't stop her from often fantasizing about having her way with the half Latina. Jade would be in the shower, her mind would wander, and one thing would lead to another...

As things progressed, keeping these urges at bay proved to be difficult for Jade. In fact, the more Tori was naïve about Jade's innuendo or blush and look away made Jade want her even more. This relationship was a slow burn but the rewards ended up being worth it, believe it or not. She learned to appreciate the little things like holding her hand, the cool and smooth way her skin felt.

And Jade would never forget the first time at the 8 or 9-day mark when she got up the nerve to kiss Tori for the first time. She remembered it vividly:

They were at the beach one night, watching the waves crash onto the shore. Tori told Jade it was her favorite place to go and think when something big happened in her life, such as her parents' separation. Suddenly, storm clouds began to roar and rumble bringing fresh showers along with them. The girls were immediately drenched and running for their lives. This was very tricky, due to the wet sand. Tori had on her brown baggy sweater on because it was a little chilly that night. Once they got to shelter, underneath the boardwalk, Tori could see Jade in only a tank was shivering.

"Here, take this" Tori said, pulling off her sweater.

"No, don't" Jade protested. "You're gonna be cold."

Tori shoved the big sweater onto Jade's head, mussing up her drenched hair. She didn't even check to see if the arms went through the sleeves properly. Tori was just happy to get the shivering Jade underneath the garment. She then began rubbing up and down Jade's arms to cause friction to generate some heat.

"There, how does that feel?" Tori asked.

Jade finally managed to get her arms into the sleeves and her hands emerged through the holes.

"Much better, thank you."

Tori smiled, "It's nothing, Jadey."

Jade bit her lower lip, looking fondly at her girlfriend who did something for her so nice without even being asked.

"Jade...?" Tori asked, noticing the strange look in her eyes.

Without a single word, Jade raised Tori's chin with her thumb and finger and drew her close. She closed her eyes and her soft lips collided with Tori's own. Jade had wanted to kiss Tori since they first met and she wasn't being bashful about it either, breaking contact and beginning another descent into paradise. Jade kept her tongue at bay, keeping it PG-13 for this moment.

She was nervous at first but her heart took flight when she could feel Tori pushing back. Upon officially separating, Jade was sure she felt the tip of Tori's tongue trying to gain access. The sheepish look on her face was priceless. Indeed, if someone was to force their tongue into the fray, it would be Jade's.

This Tori Vega was full of surprises.

"I hope you didn't mind me stealing a kiss," smirked Jade.

"No," Tori shook her head. "That was...something else..." she began grinning like a fool.

Jade made a slight moan and touched Tori's nose, teasing.

"You know how I could tell you really liked it?"

"How?"

The Goth looked down at Tori's rogue hand, which was cupping one of Jade's breasts.

Tori's face went red and she quickly withdrew her hand.

Jade waggled her finger back and forth like a school teacher, "Now Tori. If you are hungry for some boob meat, say so."

"I wasn't," Tori coughed "I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," Jade winked. "You were just keeping it warm, weren't you?" She then leaned her right side forward. "She wants attention, too."

Tori mouthed the words oh my god and began stammering like a nervous Nelly.

It was then Jade knew Tori deep down had her own needs. She wouldn't act all hot and bothered if she didn't want it too. When Jade ever thinks she couldn't wait any longer, she thought back to that night and how they had a sweet first kiss followed immediately by Tori copping a feel. She had to admit it felt like electricity when Tori felt her up like that.

Jade pondered what other part of her Tori was longing to feel besides her tits.

* * *

After summer's end, it was time for everyone to buckle down and get back into student mode.

The big orientation day was today and all returning classmen were to obtain their course assignments. This was different than the open house, which was only for the freshman and the actual first day that encompassed everybody.

Tori was excited because this was going to be the first year that most of her prerequisites were behind her. She was done with history and science. Tori still had Geometry 2. but at least she got past Economics with a B and never had to deal with that nonsense again.

But her current list of classes were not enough for her to qualify as a full-time student. When all was said and done, she still needed another course to add 3 more credits. But what? She had taken other teaching courses already and was not able to take some of the others until she passed the ones she was attending this semester.

Tori then decided that she will just take an elective, something more on the fun side. While she was going for her career and she enjoyed what she did, it would be interesting to mix things up. Before all the courses closed up, Tori consulted the website for what was available that a junior could take. She finally landed on American Film Theory. Since it dealt with the performing arts, English majors by default were welcome to it. Tori shrugged and thought it could be a lark. Besides, maybe some of this film school atmosphere can rub off on her and she would have an idea what Jade is talking about when she would go on about movies and filmmaking.

She still didn't understand what "mise-en-scene" meant.

The first day of school just happened to land on a Thursday, so Tori had "Gender, Difference and Curriculum" and "Critical Perspectives in Secondary Education" back to back, which were specialized and rather heavy subjects. Then there was the next 90 minutes free to unwind, eat or check her emails. She would rather call Jade but her "Experimental Theatre 2" class was smack dab in the middle of her free period.

 _"That sucks"_ she thought.

But at least after dealing with two difficult classes in a row and her own seventh inning stretch, Tori can look forward to her film theory class. And after that, she could get with Jade and have dinner or something.

Being the first day, things were pretty introductory. The professors were mostly concerned with making sure everybody had their notebooks and that they purchased the right textbooks from the store a block from campus. And of course, there was the syllabuses which mapped out the curriculum and would be followed as closely as possible in order. Tori took out a red pen, which was a tip she got from another classmate, who could ensure her notes would jump out at her. She made sure that she copied the professor's email address and office hours carefully.

Each of her first two classes were a fresh batch of faces, and so far, Tori only recognized her friends Andre and Cat. Andre, whom she knew since she was younger, was at her "Gender, Difference and Curriculum" class because he too was learning to be a music teacher.

He was quite talented and even boasted that a famous singer bought one of his songs about a year ago and he was contractually obligated not to reveal who it was. It also didn't help that the one who bought it put their name on it. But Tori believed him. She was there when he composed much of it. Andre had invited Tori to sing for his tracks more than once and she did have the pipes. He even went so far as to suggest there may be a pop career for her. Tori said it was a nice thought and maybe she would do something like that. But she wanted something concrete to fall back on.

In all honesty, Tori would prefer being a teacher in some nothing district quietly changing the lives of kids than blowing up only to fizzle out and become a has been.

"Critical Perspectives in Secondary Education" was where she saw Cat. She wasn't taking it because she had to. She wasn't taking it at all. On Thursday's Cat's classes didn't begin until late afternoon and since she worked late Wednesdays, she slept in until 10 am. With nothing better to do, she just hung with Tori in the in-between time. The half Latina told Cat that she admired her willingness to sneak into a class just to be with her but it wasn't necessary. The pint-sized redhead insisted. And Cat didn't sit in the back either. She sat beside Tori, putting up a good front as just another student. They didn't sit in the front rows, or she might be noticed by the professor and not too far in the back in that would disrupt Tori's benefit from the class.

So, while everyone else was reading and taking notes; Cat was doodling in her zebra-striped notebook.

After that class was done, Tori and Cat had lunch at the student center. They both got a slice from the cafeteria and ate outside.

"So, how're you liking this school?" Tori asked Cat.

The redhead shrugged "It's pretty cool."

"Have you decided on a major yet? I mean its your third year."

"Working on it, mom" Cat shot back. "I told you, I was looking into graphic design."

Tori nodded "Art major sounds like a fit. I've seen your drawings, you've got the stuff..."

"Um, excuse me?" an unfamiliar girl's voice called out.

Tori and Cat both looked up and a blonde with curly hair and glasses stood before them.

"Hi!" said Cat invitingly. Then she cocked her head "Who are you?"

"I'm sorry to intrude on you two," the girl said. "But you're Tori Vega, right?"

Tori nodded.

"I'm Katherine," the blonde said. "I was in your Algebra 2 class last spring."

She did look familiar but in all honesty, Tori worked with like a dozen others in study sessions in the library.

"Oh, right" Tori nodded, offering her hand. "Nice to see you again."

"I know this sounds weird but...um...are you going out with Jade West?"

The half Latina was gobsmacked by the question. Here was this girl she vaguely knew from Sophomore year and she appears out of the blue to ask her this personal detail. It wasn't exactly a secret but Tori was still a little put off by Katherine's frankness.

"Yes," Tori replied, stretching the word.

"Would you mind if we talked in private?" She glanced apologetically at Cat.

Now Tori was really bemused by the whole thing.

"Uh...I don't know..."

"Its okay, Tori" Cat said. "I was gonna go to the bookstore anyway; I heard there were pink bears with t-shirts and I don't want them to run out."

That could have easily been either subterfuge or a legitimate mission for the redhead. Tori just nodded and said okay.

"Bye, Tori!" she perked up and took her bag, skipping away.

"Alright, Katherine" Tori sighed. "What's going on?"

The blonde sat beside her, looking her in the eye "I've seen you and Jade here and there. Are you guys really serious?"

Tori exhaled, not believing this line of questioning.

"Not to be flippant but how is this your business?"

"Fair enough," Katherine nodded. "But..." she rubbed her arm, nervously. "There's um, something about Jade that you probably should know."

Tori raised an eyebrow. Katherine's secrecy was starting to piss her off.

"Oh? And you're an expert on _my_ girlfriend?"

"For lack of a better term."

"And how do you know Jade?" Tori asked, "I thought I met all of her friends. She never mentioned you."

Katherine nodded "Of course she wouldn't." She then cleared her throat. "Jade and I...used to...date."

That was the first rug pulled out from under her.


	4. How Well Do You Know Her?

**A/N: Wow, I cannot believe how fast it took me to write this chapter. Hopefully I stay on a roll for a long time.**

 **Now, the moment you've been waiting for...**

 **is here**

* * *

"You used to date Jade? _My_ Jade?"

Katherine shrugged "How many Jade Wests do you know?"

 _"Okay, she has a bit of a snarky sense of humor,"_ Tori thought. _"Its not impossible to imagine Jade actually seeing something in her. But why was she here now? What did she want from me? She probably wants her back, so I better be on my guard."_

"You said there was something I ought to know," Tori sighed. "Care to tell me what that is?"

The blond brushed back her hair. "It was a year ago. We got about a month and a half along before things fell apart. You see, we were inseparable at first. We at least made sure to call each other every day. And when we weren't working or studying, we got together every chance we got. I've never felt closer to anyone, Tori. Then it started to get serious. I'll spare you the details but we spent the night together."

Tori leaned in, still on the defensive "And then what happened?"

"And then nothing," Katherine threw up her hands. "Not a call or text or email. I literally couldn't find her. At first I was worried, like there was an accident or something happened to her. Then after the second day, I started to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Then it was almost a week when I saw her in the coffee shop and she looked at me like she had seen a ghost. I asked her what the hell happened. Why did she just vanish and not answer my calls?"

"What did she say?"

Katherine leaned back, folding her arms.

"Jade told me that she couldn't do this anymore and had to break things off so she could think things over."

Even Tori had to admit that sounded like a lot of BS. But Jade was probably one of those people who were terrible at breaking up and didn't know how to approach the matter, so she became a phantom. And she had to agree that made the whole thing much worse.

"I'm sorry you were hurt, Katherine. That was a messy breakup."

"Oh yeah, I was pissed off. First everything was fine. Then the morning after a nice night with her, bam! It was all over."

Katherine pointed suddenly, which made Tori blink.

"But do want to know what was interesting?"

Tori nodded while deep down not wanting to know where this was going.

"I went on Twitter and was basically pouring my heart out. I was fucking pissed off, you understand right?"

Again, Tori nodded to signal her to keep going.

"Well, after sending tweet after tweet about my heartbreak, I get a private message from a girl. She went to another school but she told me that she went out with a girl years ago that sounded like Jade. I showed her a picture of her and she said that was her. Then the two of us got talking."

The blonde clicked her tongue.

"It seems, our Jade has a pattern of behavior."

"Pattern?" Tori queried.

"Let me break it down for you," Katherine turned to face Tori. "She gets a girl, they get pretty hot and heavy but once it crosses that threshold, once they have sex...Jade takes off like a bat out of hell. Clearly, she's in it to win it. And the prize is a paid trip inside the pants of her latest victim. I'm sorry... _girlfriend_."

Tori shook her head "No, this...this is...wrong, you're wrong. I can't accept that."

Katherine sighed in an exaggerated huff.

"I know its a lot to take in. Nobody wants to hear this about someone they've grown attached to but that's the name of the game. She makes you feel on top of the world, like there is no one else to her; but once she gets what she is really after, boom. No call or anything. Not even a dustpan to help you sweep up the pieces of your heart!"

At this point the half Latina stood, glowering at Katherine. While she sympathized with her pain, Tori could not ignore that this relative stranger was speaking of Jade in less than desirable terms. And if she wasn't a non-violent person (more like Jade, come to think of it) she would punch her in the head.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Tori pointed down at Katherine. "Why are you trying to get in the way of us? What is it, you can't stand her being happy with someone else?"

"I'm trying to get you back, Vega!" she shot back. "You don't know what its like to be dumped like that out of the blue with no explanation. And only to find out that she did the exact same thing with another girl! Hell, I don't even know how far back this goes. Maybe she left a few broken hearts in high school."

"I don't appreciate your little public service announcement. Remember, she is my girlfriend. Present tense."

Katherine stood up, but Tori didn't back up an inch.

"And that will change, believe me. I've seen you two, okay? The look that she gives you I've seen before." She paused to gauge Tori's reaction. "You still don't believe me."

"Nope."

"Fine," Katherine sighed, frustrated. "I was naïve to think this would be easy. But then again, aren't we all naïve? Aren't we just her type?"

"Stop it!" Tori demanded. "Stop this now. I'm tired of hearing any more about this."

"Tori, please...listen to what I'm telling you" Katherine pleaded. "You're a very nice person and I don't want to see you get hurt."

Tori rolled her eyes "Look it, just because you got hurt doesn't mean _I_ will. You two had your relationship but I'll bet you what we have now is different."

Katherine put her hands on her hips.

"Then let me ask you a few questions. Have you ever met her friends?"

The half Latina just looked at her.

"That's a no" she nodded. "See I've caught her talking to a couple of guys off and on with her phone. They seemed really close. Nothing flirty but they definitely go back a ways. Now, if I were so important to her, wouldn't she introduce me to her best friends?"

Tori did notice Jade texting or talking to her friends. Once when she left her phone, she noticed a "Robbie" on the caller ID. And for some reason the avatar was a photo of a ventriloquist dummy.

"She probably hasn't gotten around to that yet."

"Alright, fine" Katherine said in a doubtful tone. "Then, has she ever told you she loved you?"

Tori thought for a moment and admitted quietly "no."

"But did _you_ tell her that you loved her?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah, like a week ago. We were at the end of a dinner date and I told her and then ..." Tori thought about it and realized disappointingly "...she started complaining the waiter was ignoring her..."

"She changed the subject, right?"

"Yeah, she did" Tori replied.

"Tori, I'm really sorry to do this to you. I hate to rain on your parade but I just couldn't live with myself unless I knew you had all the facts. Nobody should be played like that."

Tori backed away.

"You don't know if that will happen to me... _us_."

"You think she's changed. Then there isn't much more to say." Katherine started walking past Tori but looked back once more to say, "For your sake I hope you're right but I wouldn't hold my breath."

Tori was left standing there totally speechless. In a matter of minutes, her whole concept of what she knew was compromised. After being bullied and taken advantage of for a good chunk of her life in junior high and high school; Tori had a sixth sense for when somebody was fucking with her. She unfortunately wasn't getting such a vibe from Katherine back there.

What did that mean? Was she really just the next notch on Jade's belt?

She was doing her best to counter Katherine's argument but she was making some points.

The sound of a scream belonging to an obnoxious person laughing snapped Tori out of her thoughts. She quickly checked her phone to see the time. Her next class was starting in twenty minutes. She texted Cat that she was going to class and would talk to her later. Tori thought it be wise to give herself plenty of time to find the arts building and locate her classroom.

* * *

Third floor of the arts building, which was across the street from the main pavilion.

And luckily for Tori, the lecture hall was the only room on the whole floor, save for the restrooms on the adjacent wall.

She entered and was relieved to see about half the class already showed up. At least she wouldn't look like a goof for being the first one there. Since she was without Cat this time around, Tori seized on the opportunity to sit near the front. She was in the second row, slightly off to the right of the center. Pretty good vantage to watch a movie in her opinion. This classroom had nearly stadium-like seating so nobody's head would block the projector's light or anyone's view.

A woman with short red hair who looked about late 40's, early 50's entered and put down her laptop case.

"Good afternoon, I am Professor Jane Wilkes. And this is American Film Theory."

The professor then opened her bag and pulled out a DVD case.

"We can get into the nuts and bolts about the fundamentals of American cinema, what makes it unique to us and what impact it has on the rest of the world, let us watch a movie that is not only a first rate film by a world class director. It has also been regarded as one of the best post-war comedy of all time. We can discuss the themes later on and elaborate a little further next week."

After putting the disc in the player, she asked the student closest to her left to turn off the lights. The professor navigated through the menu and hit play.

The black and white movie began over a shot of clouds at high altitudes. The narrator drearily discusses the Cold War, which gives the twenty-somethings watching a little context. Then the main titles start up: DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB.

The very obtuse credits bore a resemblance to Tori the ones at the beginning of MEN IN BLACK. She would later find out that the same man, Pablo Ferro, designed both main titles. During the sequence, sweet music played over footage of an airplane refueling in midflight. The symbolism wasn't lost on Tori, who snickered at what an early 60's movie had to do to get something suggestive under the radar.

Once the credits were done; what unfolded was a dark comedy classic, a brilliant pastiche of politics, sexuality, and the military. Some of the more subtle satire was lost on the students but they roared with laughter for one liners like "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the war room!" The class sat up and noticed a familiar voice belonging to the one and only James Earl Jones in his first film role as one of the men in the bomber plane.

Then the ending came after Slim Pickens rides the bomb to total oblivion and the titular Dr. Strangelove, emerges from his wheelchair proclaiming that he can walk; a series of atomic explosions assaulted the screen. And the whole time this is being accompanied by Vera Lynn singing _"We'll Mete Again."_

When the movie was over and lights came back on, Professor Wilkes had a 20-minute discussion about the movie and how people reacted when it came out. She then went briefly into a little behind-the-scenes anecdotes such as the original ending was to contain an epic pie fight. This was ultimately rejected and the footage was lost, though a few still photos survive, proving its existence. It also turned out that Peter Sellers was at first going to be the main pilot (along with his 3 other characters in het movie) but got injured so the role went to Slim Pickens.

Professor Wilkes told the class to try and rent the movie to study its themes for next week's discussion.

Tori left her class, confident that this was going to be one of her favorite courses this year. She couldn't wait to watch the movie again, only this time in her dorm with Jade.

Then she remembered about what Katherine said before.

 _"Could she be right? Are things not what I think they are?"_

She had to find out, if nothing than to prove her wrong. It _was_ different with her. Jade loved her.

She had to be getting off class in about fifteen minutes so Tori set off to the student center to wait for her.


	5. Very Old Friends

**A/N: Outlining the next handful of chapters and really excited to see how everyone reacts.**

 **Also, something else just happened in the last couple days got me really, really thrilled! Let's just say an old friend came out of nowhere and we've been catching up. It's been a groovy time, so I'm all smiles.**

 **enjoy, lovelies...**

* * *

Tori waited at the main area by the student center's entrance. Up the steps and through the doors, you had to pass this way. Tori kept her eyes on the door, hoping the next time it opened would be Jade. At this time it was dark and despite the adequate lighting outside, you still couldn't tell who was behind those doors before they began coming in.

Finally, a young woman clad in almost all black emerged with the clip-clop of her boots. Tori rose at the sight of Jade, who smiled warmly and kissed her as soon as she got a hold of her.

"I missed you," she told Tori.

The half Latina squeezed the pale girl hard "I missed you too."

"You okay?" Jade asked.

"I'm fine," she lied. "Just a long day." _Okay, that was closer to the truth._

Jade smiled, "Well come on. Let's get some dinner and you can tell me all about it."

 _That sounds like a BAD idea. Don't think Jade would take kindly to conversing with one of her exes. Especially after what she had been told._

"Actually, babe, can I ask you something?"

Jade let her book bag drop to the floor and replied "What?"

"How come I never met your friends?"

The questions really caught Jade off guard. It was so out of the blue, she really didn't have a good enough excuse.

"I dunno," she shrugged. "Why?"

"Well, I _am_ your girlfriend. Would be nice if you introduced me to other people in your life."

"Oh, they know all about you. You act like you never come up in conversation."

Tori sighed "But that's so one-sided, Jade. They know about me but I don't know anything about them?"

Jade let out a groan that echoed throughout the large room. The acoustics of a lot of these buildings are fantastic.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Tori shook her head with a smirk.

"You're seriously making me do this, Vega?"

She stamped her foot "You met my friends with no problem. Its only fair."

"For christsake," she mumbled to herself. "HOLD ON." Jade then took out her phone and started dialing one of her contacts. "We will see if Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are free."

The onyx-haired girl paced around, listening to the phone ring before somebody finally answers.

"Damn it, Shapiro" Jade blurted out. "Took you long enough. I've told you before; learn to do things with one hand so that you can answer when I call you, no matter what!"

 _"Yeah, they must go way back if they're on those kind of terms with each other"_ Tori thought.

"What is your roommate up to?" Jade glance dover at Tori. "Uh-huh...Yeah...Yeah, uh-huh...just tell wonderboy he can do that anytime. My _better half_ requests your presence." she said in air quotes.

Tori stuck out her tongue.

"You know where Master Wok is, right?" Jade's expression when on the phone was less like she was listening and more waiting for the other to stop talking. "Okay, meet us there at 6. Later" she hung up the phone and stuffed it into her back pocket. "Happy?"

The tan girl threw her arms around her girlfriend and squeezed even harder than just a few minutes ago.

"Alright, alright" Jade sighed. "You know those brown eyes have a hold on me. I think I'll have you tried for witchcraft."

Tori smirked "Just don't do the ordeal by water test. I no float."

"I guess you're SOL, then"

* * *

Master Wok was about three blocks from UCLA. It was a popular place for the students. Finals was the most profitable time for them because they had take out and delivery orders in record numbers for all the people cramming like mad. Even some of the professors who had to wade through essays and dissertations relied on the Chinese establishment conveniently located nearby the college.

Tori and Jade waited at a table by the big window adorned with the red and blue neon sign. It was so close to them, it made quite a loud buzzing noise. Tori found it oddly pleasant and comforting. Jade, on the other hand, was looking uneasy.

"Is something wrong, Jade?" Tori asked, placing her hand over hers.

"What? Oh, um, no. I guess, no."

The brown-haired girl was really worried about how Jade has been acting since they left the center. She seemed distracted and nervous.

"You think they'll like me?"

Jade touched Tori's cheek and made a small smile.

"Yeah, they will. Who wouldn't?"

"Then why are you so nervous?"

"I am not..."

BANG BANG BANG

The pair were startled by two tall guys knocking on the front window. One had long, dark hair and wearing a duster. The other had curly hair and glasses who looked like he could be the assistant manager of Hot Topic. They waved at Jade who gave them a scowl. Then they noticed Tori and waved hi to her.

"Will you idiots just come inside!" she yelled.

The two ran in and quickly made their way to the table.

"Hey, girls" The spectacled boy said. "Funny surprise running into you."

The more tan boy chuckled "Rob, why do you act like that. You know it pisses her off."

"Stop being so funny when you're mad and I'll stop making you mad."

Jade stood up and pointed at the one called Rob "Now you need to think of something smaller for your last words. I can't fit that on a tombstone."

"JADE!" Tori slammed her hand on the table.

"Its okay," the boy in glasses shrugged, "I'm used to it; she's born this way, born this way... OW!"

The pale girl thumped him with her finger. Hard.

"I will seriously kill you if you make one more Lady Gaga reference."

"Come on, Lily, get chilly" said the long-haired one.

The two boys grabbed their chairs now sitting across from the couple.

"Tori," Jade sighed. "The Jaye Davidson-looking one is Beck. And the Andy Samberg-looking one is Robbie."

"I do not look like Andy Samberg," he told Tori.

"Oh I'm sorry," Jade quipped. "You were only mistaken for him by paparazzi," she turned to Beck "how many times?"

Beck showed three fingers.

"Dude!" he shot at Beck.

"You _did_ end up on TMZ." grinned Beck.

"That's pretty funny," Tori chuckled.

Beck looked at Tori, "Well its nice to finally meet you Tori. Jade won't stop talking about you."

"Shut up," growled the Goth.

He leaned in to her and whispered "Between you and me, she has it baaad..."

Jade banged her fist on the table, "I said SHUT UP!" She turned to Tori, "See why I kept them away from you. They're lost causes."

"Awww," said Robbie. "Did some mean person drop a house on your sister?"

"Boy!" Jade pointed. "Don't think I won't perform a vivisection on you with chopsticks right at this table."

"Isn't she just colorful?" Beck added.

"Alright, enough picking on Jade" Tori cooed. "Let's get some food, I'm starving."

The dinner progressed with Robbie and Beck leading stories about Jade in her high school days. She was simultaneously revered by the student body and feared as all get out. Jade described herself as the queen bitch to end them all. But she admits that she has mellowed out these days. Unlike other school experiences, college has a considerable deficit in stupid people. There were pretentious people, which bothered her, but at least they were fairly intelligent.

Tori lamented that she didn't know Jade in high school. Beck commented that had she did, her life might have been miserable because old Jade would have found sweet and nice Tori annoying. Which was funny to him that after all these years, she fell for someone like that. Meanwhile, Jade was pondering just how much strength she would require to pick up her bestie by the ankles and use him to beat the other. Perfect double murder, and no weapon.

* * *

After a pleasant and nostalgic dinner, Jade walked Tori back to her dorm. When she enrolled into college, her dad didn't fill out the student housing paperwork in time so Jade was forced to find an apartment off campus. Fortunately, she found a good deal at a loft within walking distance to the school. The landlord was hesitant about taking on a young person but she assured him that social gatherings made her sick, so she got a lease.

Neither girls liked the other going back home by themselves at night, so when the day got late; they would crash at the other's place. Jade's apartment had a big comfy couch that Tori easily fell asleep on. Usually, it was during the movie they were watching on TV.

In Tori's dorm, however, space was tight so furniture was limited to a bed and small desk. So, on this night, they would share a bed together. Tori was usually the colder one at night so she slept under the covers while Jade slept on top. The pale girl oftentimes would lay on the back and stare at the ceiling. The thought of her girlfriend just inches away in just a t-shirt and shorts, no bra, drove her nuts.

They entered the room, Tori locking the door behind her. She didn't have a roommate, which was a result of her being stuck with one of the tinier dorms. It was a private room at a hospital only...smaller. But at least it had a window. Bathroom on the other hand was down the hall.

"Jade, I loved your friends. They were really nice, and funny."

"Yeah, well, jury is still out on the funny part..."

The Goth looked at the bed and looked at Tori.

"What?" the tan girl asked.

"I dunno," grinned Jade devilishly. She slowly sat on the bed and patted the spot next to her. "Kind of in the mood."

"Mood for what?" asked Tori.

Jade just flashed her a look and immediately she knew where her head was at.

"OH! Right..."

"So..." Jade smiled. "Want to fool around?"

"What do I have to do?" Tori asked while sitting beside Jade.

She shrugged, "Mm-hmm. Let's just see where this goes."

Jade slid her hand behind Tori's head and started heavily making out. She pushed her tongue forward and it didn't take too long for Tori to start pushing back. Jade then drug Tori on top of her as she laid down on the bed. Keeping the kissing going, Jade began to reach under Tori's shirt, feeling her way to the bra strap...

And suddenly, Tori backed up and stood on her knees.

"Wait, stop"

"What's the matter?" Jade asked, concerned.

Tori bit her lip. "I'm...I...I'm really...t-t-tired. I should get some sleep for tomorrow's class."

Jade sat up, crossing her legs "I'm sorry..."

"No, its okay," she held up her hand. "Let me get ready for bed."

Tori left through the door to use the bathroom, leaving Jade sitting on the bed swearing at herself. She doesn't know how much more of this she can take. She could've sworn that Tori was on the same wave length of her just now and then it all went wrong.

Before she returned, Jade was already under the covers pretending to sleep. She made a point to be facing the wall so that she didn't notice her crying.


	6. I'm Watching You

**A/N: I seriously love all of your reviews from the last chapter. You're all really getting into this. I didn't want to make it so easy for both Tori and Jade. You will find out a little more about their motivations later on but for now...**

 **things get a wee bit more complicated.**

 **sorry this chapter is short, I'll make it up with the very next one**

 **promise :-)**

* * *

Tori woke up and noticed Jade was already finishing dressing.

"Morning," she said groggily. "How'd you sleep?"

Jade was in lieu of lacing up her boots when she looked up, eyes wide, as if she was caught completely off guard by the question.

"What? Oh, fine I guess."

Tori sat up, "Are you okay?"

"Just woke up with a headache."

"I'm sorry," Tori said sincerely. She then pointed to the nightstand. "There's some ibuprofen over there. Take a couple." Tori then scooted to the edge of the bed and grabbed the pill bottle, handing it to her. "Take the bottle so you can take more later...just in case its a bad one."

Jade looked back at her girlfriend and couldn't help but smile at her. She was always thinking of her.

"Thanks."

Checking her phone, Tori frowned. "Aw, man. Guess we missed out on breakfast. At least we can still walk to school together."

"That's fine," Jade sighed. Suddenly, she face palmed herself and shouted "FUCK!"

"What's the matter babe?"

Jade dropped her bag and kicked it across the floor, albeit only a few feet.

"I left my stupid fucking Shakespeare book back at my place and I need it this morning!" She then picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. "We may have to take a rain check on that. I have to go the opposite direction and then somehow make it to class in time."

"I'll go with you..."

"No," Jade interrupted. "You just got up. You need to get ready or _you'll_ be late too. I'll talk to you later."

Tori bounced off the bed and ran over to Jade, crashing her lips onto hers.

"Miss you," the half Latina said.

"Miss you more" smirked Jade before leaving.

* * *

Jade walked through the front door out of the apartment building and began going down the sidewalk.

Meanwhile, white knuckles gripped the steering wheel of a car parked across the street. The driver has been in park for hours, getting there before the sun came up. Waiting and waiting and waiting...

And there she was at long last...Jadelyn August West.

Hasn't changed much, still achingly beautiful.

With a turn of the key, the vehicle got out of park making a swift U-turn. This resulted in an almost near miss with a taco truck. The big grey truck honked its horn but the driver of the black BMW didn't pay them any mind.

The luxury car did its best to keep up with Jade, not too fast that it would lose her completely. But it also kept its distance both to stay inconspicuous and to have time to react to any sudden changes in direction. Indeed, Jade eventually turned right at a corner and the car followed.

After a few blocks, Jade entered her building.

The driver was a few yards away from the entrance, keeping the car running just in case a quick getaway was to be needed. Taking out a pair of binoculars, Jade was now in plain sight in the window at the top. She appeared to be searching for something. Its clear this was where she resided.

"Good to know," the driver mused. "I've got you now."

* * *

Once she was done with her "Shakespeare for the Modern Stage" class, which were currently studying _Macbeth_ , Jade decided to skip her next class to meet with Tori for an early lunch to make up for this morning.

On her way to the student center where she texted Tori to meet her after her class was over, she bumped into something short and red.

"Cat!" Jade exclaimed. "Sorry I didn't see you there."

"No, its fine I'm okay" the redhead said. "What's your rush?"

"I actually was on my way to meet Tori."

Something changed in Cat's face. Her usual pleasant demeanor melted away and she became passive.

"Oh."

"Have you seen her?" Jade asked.

Cat held her books to chest and narrowed her gaze.

"No. I haven't," she replied in measured tones.

Jade was overcome with a chilly feeling from the diminutive girl before her. She looked like she was pissed at something and the more Jade talked to her, the more that feeling intensified. Whatever was on her mind, Jade knew she was Tori's friend and tried to be patient and pleasant. Even a girl as bubbly as Cat Valentine has a right to her off days.

"Alright, well I guess I'll see you later"

"Yeah, maybe" Cat curtly said before stepping aside and passing Jade.

The Goth was left stunned at what just happened. She made a mental note to ask Tori when she sees her what's up with Cat these days. Jade then shrugged and continued on.

* * *

Later that day, Jade left the college and started heading to work.

She got a job at the supermarket down the street from her apartment last year. In the beginning; she helped stock shelves and arrange end cap displays. Lately she was chiefly running the cash register. Jade worked really well with her co-workers and the customers. Though she detested the old ladies who paid in paper checks. _"What is this, 1950?"_ she always complained in her thoughts.

Jade's manager repeatedly asked her to go full time but her school schedule wouldn't permit it. She could only do Tuesday's, Saturdays and Sundays with nights on Wednesday and Friday. Jade looked forward to Saturday the most because classes were done for the week and she only worked during the day, which left the night open for her and Tori to hang out and do something.

And since Saturday was tomorrow night, Jade already started mentally planning the festivities.

They were going to kick it at Jade's place where they would have a horror movie marathon. While Jade didn't care for when school first started in the fall, but what cheered her up was that Halloween was around the corner. And that meant scary movies galore and this time she had a girlfriend who she knew would be a lightweight. Tori wasn't exactly a scaredy-cat but terror and gore flicks weren't her forte. But she always made the exception for Jade.

A couple of weeks ago, Tori stunned Jade by telling her she had never seen a single _Friday the 13th_ movie.

 _"Kids these days,"_ Jade thought. _"They know nothing about the classics."_

Well she was going to remedy that.

Jade was going to bring her DVD set of _Friday the 13th_ , Parts 1-4 which she considered the best ones of the franchise, though she also liked _Jason Lives_ a little. The DVD even came with 3-D glasses for the third film, which was good old early 80's 3-D cheese. Jade feels that the first two will be the toughest sit for Tori because they are the scariest and have a lot of atmosphere. The latter two have their silly moments. Three words: Crispin Glover dancing.

The Goth hoped that the films would have the desired effect on Tori, making the half-Latina cling to her like one of those suction-cup Garfield dolls on a car window. And maybe she would spend the night, too.

It wasn't about sex. Not entirely, anyway. While that would be nice; Jade really grown accustomed to sleeping alongside Tori, feeling her body, smelling her hair and hearing her snore softly. Jade would have sleepless nights on those one where she was by herself. Tonight would be one of those night, sadly. But tomorrow night will be a great one.

* * *

It was dark when Jade clocked out and exited the supermarket which was locking up, lights flickering off.

She stood on the sidewalk, oblivious to the black car watching her.

The driver's hand touched the brake, eager to put it in drive. But then a taxicab pulled in front of the BMW and stopped in front of Jade. She gets inside and gives the cabbie directions and the white car goes off into the night.

"Damn!" exclaims the driver, slamming fist onto the steering wheel.

"It's okay," said another from the passenger seat. "There's always tomorrow."


	7. Broken Hearts & Dangerous Minds

**A/N: Here it is, folks. The BIG DRAMA.**

 **Please leave reviews ;-)**

* * *

At Jade's apartment, the pair cuddled up under a blanket while _Friday the 13th Part 2_ played on the TV screen. Tori was in suspense during the first film but thoroughly enjoyed it. Jade had fun watching Tori watch the film because she knew it so well. Apparently, the reveal about Mrs. Voorhees was a pop culture spoiler that got past her and was a total surprise upon watching the movie.

Tori let out a big scream at the stinger when Alice in the canoe is dragged down into the water.

Now they were on the second movie. While Steve Miner's direction was a little flashier than Seas S. Cunningham's from the first one, its no less moody as all hell. And this early in the franchise, we were still doing the unseen killer thing. While Tori did see pictures of Jason over the years with a hockey mask, he was really scary here in a white hood with crude eyeholes. For Jade, it just made her think of the killer from _The Town That Dreaded Sundown_.

They got to the scene where Jenny and Paul are looking around the camp after coming back. Jenny says that she feels like someone is in the room with them. Then she sees the hooded figure sneaking up on Paul and she screams for him to watch out. The two fight and only Jason emerges from it just to begin chasing the girl. She eventually finds refuge under the bed of one of the cabins. Jason walks into the building, his monstrous footsteps making her breath hitch.

After some time passes, Jenny feels that the coast is clear. Upon sliding out from under the bed and looking up, there was Jason standing on a chair with a pitchfork at the ready.

That made Tori jump right into Jade's lap. She buried her face into the Goth's neck, missing the chair breaking which allowed the girl to slip away. Jade suddenly was overcome with a warm feeling and knew it was Tori kissing her on the neck in that wonderful way she loved. Her little scheme was working; Tori was glued to her. Not being able to kiss her from this angle, Jade began to rub Tori's thigh up and down.

Like a flash, Tori leapt off of Jade and sat on the far end of the couch.

Jade huffed and grabbed the remote, pausing the movie.

"Tori, what is going on here?"

"What?" Tori evasively asked.

" _That_ just now," Jade replied. "We were having a good time and then all of a sudden I get the cold shoulder."

Tori folded her arms defensibly "Nothing is wrong."

"You've been acting weird this week. What's the problem?"

"There's no problem. It's just...why are you so eager to get me in bed with you?"

Jade made a face "We've already been in bed together."

Tori narrowed her eyes, mildly annoyed. "Don't be smart-alecky! That's not what I mean!"

Now Jade was becoming annoyed. "Okay, you can't comprehend the obvious... _fine_. I have grown really fond of you. And you being very attractive doesn't help matters either. What can I say? I'm a human being and I have needs. But you also should be well aware that I have been respecting your wishes and staving off sex until you felt you were ready. I never forced you into anything, but we've come close, primarily because of all the mixed signals I've been getting."

"Mixed signals?"

"Don't play dumb. You're naïve about some things but your smarter than that! We would get close and very comfortable and just when I thought you were finally ready, you back away and quickly go to the next thing. That's the part that pisses me off the most; the way you nonchalantly ignore what had just happened. Do you know how embarrassing it is to be led on like that, only to be the one apologizing? You know how that makes me feel?"

Tori shrugged "Maybe that's because my own eagerness tries to get the better of me but my brain snaps me out of it."

"Because you can't decide if you're ready or not."

The half-Latina rolled her eyes. "This isn't about _me_. Its about **US**. If _we're_ ready. That _we've_ come long enough to justify that next plateau. Once we get to that point, there is no turning back."

"And that's a bad thing, Vega?" Jade shot back.

Tori just looked at her, not answering. Her silence was as damning as having replied in the affirmative.

"Well let me ask you something, are we ever going to get there? Because I feel like at the rate we're going its never going to happen."

"I didn't say never," Tori shook her head. "Besides, sex isn't the most important thing in a relationship, you know!"

Jade threw off her coverage and stood up.

"Yeah, but it has to be somewhere. We have been everything except intimate. What are you scared of?"

"Not scared...exactly. There's a lot of emotion attached to this; you just don't know what its doing to me, Jade! And you know I haven't..."

Jade's face softened and she offered Tori her hand. "If that is what the problem is, I can help you. Maybe you're still befuddled by the mechanics because its another girl but I can show you how its done. I'll be right next to you every step of the way; I can teach you."

"That's for damn sure," muttered Tori loud enough for Jade to hear.

"Oh? And what exactly is that supposed to mean, Victoria?"

Tori didn't like being addressed like her mother used to when she was younger. She tried to stay calm, focusing on the floor.

"Now I know there is something you're not telling me!" Jade said.

Now Tori stood and was eye level with Jade.

"If you must have it...have it then. I've talked a few days ago with Katherine..."

"Excuse me?" Jade interrupted. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"What's the matter? I can't talk with another girl...?" Tori folded her arms, waiting for Jade's response to that question.

When Jade felt like she was being cornered or just getting pissed off, sarcasm levels would reach an all time high. When that happened, danger.

"No, its fine. Perfectly fine that my girlfriend and my ex were conspiring behind the scenes. And just what did she say about me?"

"Since you must know, Katherine told me about your relationship and how it ended abruptly." Tori pointed.

"So?"

Such a simple answer was not what Tori expected.

"SO?! You broke it off with me moments after having sex for the first time together, breaking her heart, and all you can say is 'so'?"

"I'm sorry but how was that any of your goddamn business?"

"I have a right to know about my girlfriend's past relationships!"

That really pissed Jade off.

"You have the right to **_jack shit_**. What happened between me and Katherine was between _me and Katherine_. Had I told you about this to begin with, would you have hesitated about giving us a chance?"

"I don't know," Tori shrugged.

"And _that's_ why I keep my past mistakes where they belong. And just so you know, I'm well aware of what I did to Katherine. I had to face it and that was over a fucking YEAR AGO! Why are you asking to me to make apologies now?"

"I wasn't..."

"No, I fucking get it now! She filled your head with all these ideas to make you think twice. Tell me, was she the one that looked you up? Or did your daddy police officer track down my information? It doesn't matter, Tori! None of it matters because the past is in the past! That's where I left it. It has no bearing on what we have right now! Do you know that you are the longest relationship I had ever had and I certainly never went this far without it getting physical. Doesn't that account for something? You've never doubted about us before. What is making you fight with me now is all because of what that bitch put in your mind."

"And that other girl Katherine mentioned? Was she imagined?"

"Wow, I wasn't aware of this apparent reputation of mine. So everybody's talking to everybody else, having these wee little conversations behind others' backs. Its so refreshing to hear that so many people talk about me when I'm not around."

"You have a problem, Jade!"

"Oh, **_I_** have the problem?"

"Yes. You get deep with a girl, have sex, and then break things off."

"So that's it, huh? That's what I'm all about?"

"Katherine had a heart and you broke it, Jade! I have feelings, too."

Jade's blood was boiling.

"What are you trying to say, Tori Vega?"

Tori, who was just as flustered, was at a loss for words and blurted out "I'm just...really fucked up right now. I need time to think things through."

Jade nodded "I see. Well let me make it real easy for you. Take all the time you need because we're done!"

"Jade, don't be like this..." Tori reached out to her.

"You know, I have feelings too Vega! And I don't appreciate this witch hunt!"

"Jade..." Tori pleaded.

"Get out." Her words were ice, spoken at almost a whisper.

"Jade, don't..."

"I SAID GET THE HELL OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

The words shook the apartment; probably the whole building. Both girls involved were doing their best to hold back tears. Neither one of them wanted to make them think the other was right by being caught crying. Tori contritely got her purse and slowly walked to the door. But she didn't completely exit before Jade could say one more thing:

"By the way, notice how we didn't fuck? So don't even try to blame this breakup on me, sister!"

The door slammed in the half-Latina's face. Tori stood frozen for a few seconds before getting feeling back in her legs and the started running. It was late, so nobody saw the girl fleeing the apartment building weeping.

* * *

Jade stared at her door, replaying the whole scenario in her head. Yes, Tori was being a bit of an accuser back there but she couldn't completely blame her. Jade wasn't totally honest with Tori and her master plan blew up in her face.

 _"Damn you, Katherine!"_ Jade thought. _"You just had to start something, didn't you? If this was some way to get me back, all you did was hurt Tori. I'll have a few choice words for you if I ever see you again."_

The Goth stomped her foot, realizing that she needed to stop being mad herself and other people, and do the most important thing of all. Jade had to chase after Tori and fix this. She was too important to her and maybe she'll come around if Jade is straight with her. Tori did put all of her cards on the table; but Jade held a little of herself back and perhaps if she wasn't such a chicken-shit, this fight would not have escalated to this point.

Or maybe there wouldn't have been a fight in the first place.

Tori was an innocent, Jade concluded. She had been that girl who wouldn't hurt a fly since she first met her. The words she used had to have been difficult for Tori. What the fuck did Katherine do other than cast some reasonable doubt? Jade knew she fucked up in the past but she didn't do exactly _everything_ in her power to prove to Tori that she was special.

 _"What am I still standing here for?"_

Jade threw on her tennis shoes, which were already laced up. She could slip in and out of them in a hurry; the boots would've taken a few minutes too much. The more seconds passed, the further Tori was getting. Jade quickly locked up and began running down the stairs at a healthy clip. Once at the ground floor, Jade saw that it started raining. She hoped that Tori got a cab and wasn't trying to walk through this home.

Speaking of a cab, Jade had to hail one so she waved until a pair of headlights seemingly manifested in the dark. She was so in her own thoughts that she didn't notice at first that the taxi wasn't decorated as such. Maybe it was an escort service, or some high-end transportation company.

Cabs normally weren't black BMW's.

Before Jade could react, the back door on the passenger side opened which knocked her down. Trying to see in the rain, a figure emerged from the car. She couldn't make out a face because of a ski mask. Jade tried to get up but only got partially there when black gloves holding a rag soaked in something smelly engulfed her face. Within moments, the Goth fell limp. The assailant then dragged her into the backseat with them and shut the door.

The driver had been serving as lookout since they've stopped. Absolutely no one has seen them.

The black car skidded at first due to the fresh rain and soon gained enough friction to begin speeding away.


	8. The Spider's Web

**A/N: The Jori-goodness has broken. And now Jade had been kidnapped.**

 **Well, it wouldn't be fan fiction without drama, right?**

 **Please review, my friends :-)**

 **Speaking of friends, let me give a shout-out to _FuckTheReaper_ , who has returned to the site. She has a new story out and another in the works.**

 **please go over and check out her page.**

* * *

A knock on the door woke up Cat. She yawned while walking with as quickly as she could to answer it. Her roommate, Sydney, was very irritable when she didn't get her eight hours and the last thing the redhead wanted was for her to wake up.

Cat opened the door and saw a drowned rat that looked like her friend Tori.

"S-s-s-orry," the half Latina said.

"Jesus, Tori" Cat gasped. "You're soaked and shivering. Come inside and get warm."

"Th-th-thanks."

She looked upset to Cat. Maybe she was crying but it was hard to tell by looking at her where the rain ended and the teardrops began. Tori was just wet all over.

After quietly closing the door and locking it, Cat grabbed a beach blanket from the closet and wrapped that around Tori's freezing body. She then added an extra layer with an afghan from the couch that her Nona knitted her.

"Please, sit" Cat offered, leaving a spot for Tori on the couch.

The brunette smiled and sat down beside her best friend.

"What happened, Tori?" the redhead asked, concerned.

"I left...J-J-Jade's...I f-f-forgot mmmy keys..." Tori shivered. "C-couldn't go home. I was gonna go t-t-to Andre's but I th-thought he would get in trouble since it was after hours."

Cat breathed a little sigh of relief. The stammer was going away which meant Tori's teeth were no longer chattering. She must be warming up at last.

"But why didn't Jade let you in? You could've stayed..."

"We had a fight," Tori interrupted.

"Oh," said Cat.

She could see it in Tori's face that she was still very beside herself.

"Was it bad?"

"Real bad," Tori replied.

"Did this have anything to do with what you told me the other day?"

Tori's face scrunched up like she was going to cry all over again and buried herself into the blanket.

Brown eyes harbored fits of rage. The little girl with the bubbly demeanor didn't get angry often but when she did, you could taste it in the air.

"Tori!"

The half-Latina emerged from her blanket.

"Did she try something?"

"Sort of...I don't know...maybe she's right...maybe I overreacted."

Cat lifted her chin.

"Seriously? It takes two to want to do it. That's why its called making love. If Jade can't be mature about it and wait, that's on her!"

Tori dropped her hands into her lap.

"I don't know what to do. I love her, Cat. I wish it were as simple as just break it off, but I cant just walk away from those feelings. What should I do?"

She turned to Cat, as if hoping for an answer.

The redhead sighed, staring at the ceiling, thinking. People would often make fun of Cat saying she was some kind of airhead; typical Valley Girl prototype. But truthfully, she was thinking all the time. When she met somebody new, she would fly at the mouth with nonsense but she was really evaluating the person, gauging how they react with her tidal wave of words. Its an effective way, she found, to discover if one has a genuine sense of humor and an open mind.

Right now, Cat was thinking about how to fix a relationship that was kind of foreign to her. In her experience, boy-girl relationships usually had more superficial problems and were easier to solve. But dealing with two females; the issues may go down to the bone. Perhaps that was why gay couples seem more happy to Cat. You cant shrug something off as a guy thing or a girl thing. You're forced to confront what is making you argue with your significant other.

There was far less bullshit and subterfuge.

But the more Cat thought that she wasn't the expert, the idea came like a ton of bricks.

"You should go back to Jade," she said.

"What?" Tori asked. "You think I should?"

Cat stood up "Where else is she gonna go? That's where she lives. You need to march back there and really try to fix it."

"You're right," Tori sighed. "And if it doesn't work out, then I will be the one who gets the last word in."

Cat smiled and reached for her keys hanging beside the door on a hook.

Usually Cat poked fun at Tori at not necessarily being the only upperclassman without a car but rather being the only one without a drivers license. But now was not one of those times.

"Come on, I'll take you there."

* * *

Jade noticed the terrible taste on her mouth first when she came to.

She was also picking up hints of whatever it was that she remembered smelling before passing out. Some of it must have gotten in her mouth when her face was smothered with that filthy cloth. Her blue-green eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the bright light around the room. Jade looked and noticed her arms were up which hardly ever happened when she slept. She tried moving them but they were stuck. She twisted her neck as best she could to see her wrists were bound tight. Then she tried moving her lower half but her feet were indeed tied to this bed as well. Jade's neck ached from both trying to see at odd angles while laying down as well as being manhandled by whomever abducted her from the street.

Speaking of which...

She missed it at first, more focused on her bound feet, but Jade instantly noticed the video camera on a tripod between her legs but a foot or two away. Whatever this camera was seeing, the bed was front and center. And it was recording, judging from the little red light that was blinking off to the side. There was no external microphone and in Jade's experience most camcorder built-in microphones were shit, so whoever set this up wasn't concerned about sound.

Jade was pissed off at her current situation but much more terrified. After all, the owner of that camera obviously went to great trouble to capture their "subject." The Goth shuddered at the implications because she was tied down in a way that whatever pervert had a hold of her could easily have their way with her and she wouldn't be able to fight back or ward off a single assault onto her body. Jade has read enough true crime books to know that the weirdos who photograph their crimes are the worst ones. They need memorabilia from their crimes because they have no intention of holding onto their victims for too long.

Flashed of sexual perversions went through her mind and that was unpleasant enough, to say the least. But Jade feared the most of the prospect of being disposed of and how they were going to do it. Ironic how this sort of scenario would never phase her in a movie but here in real life, Jade was wide-eyed with terror.

 _Who is doing this?_

 _Where are you? Come on, where are you hiding?_

"Hello, Jade" said a voice that cut through the silence.

That voice. Something about it sounded so familiar but she couldn't quite place it.

A thin girl, wearing a dark blue hoodie, ambled into her field of vision. She had average features but a pair of black eyes, almost doll-like.

"At last," she smiled widely.

The name escaped from Jade's parted lips.

"Lily?"

The strange girl bit her lip, "You remembered, my Jade."

Lily got onto the bed straddling Jade. Her full weight was on her abdomen as if her petite frame was what was keeping her at bay.

"It's been so long, baby"

Long thin fingers caressed Jade's stomach and then began studying the contours of her face. Jade recoiled but a firm grip on her chin warned her to never do that.

"What do you want, Lily?" Jade asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" she grinned. "I looked all over for you and here you are now! I mean it wasn't easy," she shrugged. "You moved out of your parents house and I didn't know which college you went to. Then you changed you phone number." Lily leaned in menacingly. "I didn't like that. Not. One. Bit." Her face then softened. "But I forgive you, Jade. We all make mistakes."

"You will make another mistake if you don't kindly undue these ropes" Jade threatened.

Lily stepped back and planted her feet back on the floor.

"I can't do that," she shook her head. "You'll leave me again."

Jade struggled with her restraints but these were done too well.

"And I can't allow that," Lily added.

She then walked over to the camera and pulled out the little viewing monitor to see the POV on the lens. Lily grinned to herself and promptly shut the monitor.

"Be right back with breakfast, baby. You must be starving and you had such a long sleep."

Lily was already out the door and closed it behind her before Jade could even finish:

"GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, YOU CRAZY BITCH!"

* * *

"Lily?"

The girl turned to Katherine. "Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, just making sure Jade was more...comfortable."

Katherine pointed to Lily's face.

"Where's your mask?"

"Eh, screw it" Lily shrugged.

"Are you serious?" Katherine folded her arms. "This was supposed to be a way to teach her a lesson. Scare her a little."

Lily looked at the door where Jade was on the other side and then back at Katherine.

"What? Looks scared to me."

"Damn it, Lily!" Katherine stamped her foot. "If Jade knows it was us...have you even thought about the cops?"

Lily shook her head "Don't worry about all that. She won't call the cops" she smiled, touching her arm.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, its not like she's leaving here."

Katherine couldn't decide which made her more unsettled. What Lily just told her or how nonchalantly she said it. This girl was describing the concept of kidnapping as if she were going to the store.

Lily started walked down the hall, saying nothing. Katherine soon followed.

"Where are you going? Hey!"

The hooded girl opened the door to a room that Lily hadn't been in yet. She had only been at this house once before and only been to a couple of rooms, including the one where Jade was being kept. Lily entered while Katherine was still pursuing her.

"What did you mean she wasn't..."

Katherine choked out the final word to her question as her eyes began to take in the room Lily was in.

"...leaving?"

All four white walls were adorned with literally hundreds of photographs of Jade throughout the past five or so years. Hardly anything from before high school from the looks of it. The quality of the images ranged from professional, such as senior prom, to the guerilla. A number of those pictures were clearly taken from a car, sometimes through a telephoto lens.

There was even an assortment of Jade West collectibles, such as a program from one of the plays she starred in local theatre and an article from when she won her directing award for her short film. There was even a table which had a school ID from college (not a copy or reproduction) that lied right beside a Barbie doll glammed up to look like Jade; clothing, hair, the works.

Katherine's jaw just dropped.

 _"Oh fuck, I made a huge mistake."_

When she was pouring her heart out online, Katherine thought she would never move on. But then she stumbled upon Lily who immediately became interested at the sound of Jade's name. When she realized the girl they both knew were one and the same, then they really got to talking. They started plotting one day; Lily's idea. They were going to kidnap Jade and scare the living hell out of her only to let her go. Since they both knew her penchant for horror movies and were both hurt by her, it was the perfect Halloween prank.

It was supposed to be about revenge. And it couldn't be personal because then Jade would've figured out within reason who did it and they would likely be arrested. They had their own fond memories of Jade, but also knew she wasn't someone who would take being crossed like this lying down.

And now, Lily basically spilled the beans. Katherine wondered if she implicated her in this as well.

"I know what you're thinking, Katherine" Lily said, admiring her Jade West shrine. "And you needn't worry. I have no hard feedings against you?"

 _"Is this girl serious?"_

"What do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

Lily turned and smiled, only to do her most peculiar and disturbing thing yet; she hugged Katherine tightly.

"I know that Jade only went for you because she was sad and confused."

 _"I'm a rebound girl now? Talk about ego, but I'm not crazy enough to call Kathy Bates here out on her bullshit."_

"Don't worry, Katherine" Lily said, breaking the embrace, still smiling brightly. "I forgive you. But you made the greatest step of all by reuniting Jade with me. I am so happy, I could burst!"

"Oh, um" Katherine was beginning to sweat. "You're welcome, I guess."

Lily kept her eye on Katherine while reaching into her back pocket.

"I'll never forget what you did, I promise."

BANG!

The blonde fell to the floor with a thud.

Lily then stood over her, the barrel of the gun waving from above like the blade from _The Pit and the Pendulum._ In truth, Lily wanted to do a headshot but she was afraid the splatter from the exit wound from Katherine's skull would've harmed her collection. But now she was on the floor, reeling from the chest wound, Lily could finish her off.

"Thank you so much, Katherine. You'll be in Heaven. What greater gift could I give a friend?"

BANG!

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, for a minute there I was attempting to plant Cat as a red hearing but she's not part of it. She was just being a protective best friend.**


	9. Search Party

**A/N: I can't believe we are at 91 reviews already, you guys are the best**

 **Hope you enjoy the new installment! I'm sorry that its a short one but I'm really not feeling well right now and the next two days will be a pain for me so...**

 **please review ;-)**

* * *

Cat drove Tori in her dark blue Honda over to Jade's apartment building. It took Cat an extra two minutes to parallel park but when she was done it was a perfect job.

By this point, the rain had finally ceased much to the relief of our girls as they got out of the car and walked across the street to the front door. Cat tried the door but it was locked.

"Phooey," she frowned.

Tori hit the buzzer for Jade's apartment but there was no answer.

Holding down the call button, Tori said "Jade, its me. Can we please come up?"

Still no answer.

She was beginning to get a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Tori then tried the buzzer for the landlord who after three tries answered, "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry to bother you," Tori said. "But I'm here to see Jade West. But she isn't answering."

"Can this wait until tomorrow?" the male voice on the other end asked.

"It's an emergency, sir" Cat stepped in. "And we haven't been able to get a hold of her," which was the half truth.

There was a long pause that had Tori and Cat worried until they heard the unlatching of the door and the landlord standing there, opening it for them.

"Oh, I know you" he sighed when he say Tori. He then squinted at Cat. "I've never seen you before."

Cat shrugged "I'm a friend" she looked at Tori. "And her ride."

"Thank you so much," Tori told the landlord as the pair began going up the stairs.

Upon arriving at Jade's floor, Tori led the way to the door to her apartment. The half Latina knocked.

"Jade, are you there?" she asked, half expecting her to be asleep.

After hearing nothing, Cat pounded on the door "JADE!"

Tori knocked again, "Jade, please open the door."

Just for a lark, Cat turned the knob. Nothing.

"Hang on," Tori said. "I think she has a spare."

Cat studied the simple metal door and pondered where the Goth would've hidden a key. She looked to her left and saw Tori walk to the potted plant nearby and lifted the ficus, little clumps of dirt falling back into the pot. She reached inside the pot and felt what she was looking for on the bottom. Once Tori had the silver key, she replaced the plant into its clay container.

Tori blew some of the dirt off the key before sticking it into the lock. As soon as the door swung open, the two friends charged in, surveying the room. She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen. Maybe she fell asleep. So, the next place to check was the bedroom. Jade wasn't in bed. Tori was really starting to worry. It wasn't until they looked at the bathroom and the balcony and still found no sign of Jade that it was beginning to concern Cat as well.

"Where is she?" Cat asked.

"I have no idea," Tori paced back and forth, looking at places she already just checked. Cat could hear the undeniable panic in her voice.

"Just calm down, Tori" the redhead said. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe she went to the store."

Tori happened to look over to the counter and noticed Jade's cellphone, which was one of those black latch cases. Inside there was a flap with pockets which Jade used for her drivers license and debit card. The tan girl walked over to the counter so that Cat could see the personal item for herself.

"Not without this!"

The redhead's eyes widened. Jade definitely wouldn't go anywhere without her phone/wallet. And since the door was locked, she clearly had her keys so nothing would stop her from going back home to get her phone and debit card. Maybe she didn't go to the store.

Then where _was_ she?

"Cat," Tori's voice was sounding even more desperate. "I'm really freaking out here."

"You don't suppose..." Cat's brown eyes settled on Tori's own. She was terrified to finish the sentence but the damage was done. She had already put the implication out there. Now Tori wondered if Jade was as upset as her and ran off and did something stupid, maybe even harmed herself.

Tori clutched her stomach like she was feeling sick "Oh, Cat."

"Maybe we should call the police."

The half Latina thought for a moment and dug out her phone, calling from her recent list. It rang a couple of times before...

"Hello? Tori?"

"Dad?"

She could hear his throat clearing "Tori, are you crying? What's the matter?"

"Um," a single tear traversed her cheek. "I don't know what to do. I'm at Jade's apartment and she isn't here, no note or anything. I think she's in trouble or maybe missing."

Tori heard her father fumbling in the background to stand up and get a pad and paper; from the junk drawer in the kitchen mostly likely.

"Give me the address," he said.

She gave her father the street address as well as direction on how to get there relative to where the college was.

"Stay right there and keep the door locked just in case. I'll be right over."

"Okay, dad. Thanks, bye"

Cat looked up at her while she hung up her phone.

"So, we wait?" the redhead asked.

"Uh-huh" Tori nodded.

She walked over to the window, looking down on the street.

 _"Jade, please let me know you're okay. Please be okay."_

* * *

It took a while to drag Katherine all the way out back.

Lily eyed the big green dumpster in the alley right next to the Mexican restaurant. She looked to see that the coast was clear and opened the black plastic lid. Lily then ran back and got a hold of Katherine's fresh corpse, dragging it as quickly as she could to the dumpster. Once next to it, Lily pushed Katherine's lifeless, bloody body into the receptacle.

She hadn't been dead for long so she wasn't stiff yet and more importantly, the garbage smelled more foul than she did. Lily then covered Katherine's body with as many big black trash bags as she could until you couldn't even see her. Hearing the back door to the restaurant being opened, Lily dashed away and hid behind some empty wooden crates. The young employee, listening to his headphones loudly, came out with bulgy trash bags and just threw them into the dumpster sight unseen. He then went back inside and shut the door.

Lily sighed, knowing that she was almost home free. The trash would pick up about 6 am the next morning and Katharine would become just another missing person.

 _"I'd better get some sleep,"_ she thought. _"Tomorrow will be our first real day together in a long time."_

* * *

Mr. Vega arrived less than half an hour after Tori called. He quickly greeted Cat and asked Tori for the details.

Without getting into specifics, Tori told her dad how they fought badly and Jade ending the argument with the declaration that it was over. Then shortly after that, Tori came back with Cat and found the place vacant. The door was locked, sure, but there were no other signs that Jade went somewhere, at least in the right state of mind.

David Vega called Tori's dormitory and asked if anyone fitting Jade's description and dress entered at all in the past couple hours. He nodded and hung up, looking disappointed at his daughter.

"Doesn't look like she went looking for you," he sighed.

"Then where did she go?" Tori cried.

Her father hugged her tight while she cried her eyes out.

"This was all my fault," she sobbed.

"Don't say that!" Cat protested.

"She's right, you know" David said. "Don't start blaming yourself."

Tori wiped her eyes with her palms.

"But I wasn't being fair to Jade. I mean, I just kept shooting her down when she tried to explain..."

"Listen to me Tori" her father looked her dead in the eye. "We will do everything we can to find her. Now let's look at the facts..." David walked around the room, looking and thinking. "Jade locked up, so she intended on leaving but she must have left in such a hurry that she forgot her phone and money."

He turned to Tori.

"Maybe she _was_ looking for you after all?"

It made sense to her. She hoped that was what Jade was doing. But where did she go?

"Let's check outside," he suggested.

* * *

The ground was still wet from the rain. There was that particular smell in the air. Tori remembered Jade telling her how she loved that smell. She missed her already.

Being a cop for as long as he had, the tire marks on the street caught his eye immediately. From the angle, whomever was parked right in front of Jade's building took off in a hurry.

 _"Maybe a clue,"_ he thought.

He wished he had a way of making sure this was leading to Jade's whereabouts.

"Mr. Vega!" Cat spoke up.

"What is it, Cat?" he asked.

The redhead pointed at the furniture store next door to the apartment. Mounted on the front wall were two external surveillance cameras, pointing at opposing ends of the sidewalk.


	10. Lost and Found

**A/N: I know there are a few out there who didn't care for this turn in the story.**

 **But I wanted to see what would happen if we took the concept of the broken heart and saw its most extreme consequences.**

* * *

It took almost two hours for David's connections to come through with the surveillance footage from the furniture dealer's storefront cameras. He asked when Tori thinks she left and said it was about 10:30 p.m. So he fast-forwarded the feed until the time code read 10:30 p.m.

About 10:37, Tori is seen leaving the building.

The time code changed between 10:44 to 10:45 the moment Jade is seen exiting the apartment. She looks left and right and appears to be hailing a taxi. Then a black BMW stops over. Suddenly, the back passenger-side door swings open, knocking her down. Then a figure jumps out of the vehicle, struggles with Jade, and gets her inside the car. Clearly there was at least two people, since someone else had to be driving.

By 10:47, the car that abducted Jade was out of sight; the whole thing happened that quickly.

David figured Jade had to be either knocked out or gagged because Tori being less than 10 minutes away would've been in ear shot of a scream for help. Whomever took his daughter's girlfriend knew just what they were doing.

The black BMW wasn't common for this part of town but not unique enough. Then again, whoever said that Jade's kidnappers are from around here? The vehicle goes almost to the end of the street before vanishing out of frame. There is no telling what direction it could have gone. Maybe it was going east or perhaps it was rounding the block and going a whole different way.

But all wasn't lost. Fortunately, the footage got a very good look at the license plate: DCA-565, California tags.

David phoned it in and the motor vehicle database looked into its owner. A few minutes later, he got a callback with a name: Suzette Fremont. Looking her up, the woman had an address that was in Los Angeles, much to their relief. No sticky bullshit with jurisdiction to slow everything down; the LAPD could just move in.

Getting out a pad and paper, David wrote down the address and asked twice for them to repeat it to make sure he got it right:

742 North Haven Ave.

That area was a series of brownstones, some standalone houses while others were luxury lofts rented at about $2,000 a month.

A very rattled Tori was ordered to stay behind at Jade's and Cat offered to keep her company until this was all over. This wasn't a time to be left alone.

* * *

When you are in a confined space, its the little things that begin to bug you.

Jade couldn't stand that there was no clock or anything in this room so she had no idea what goddamn time it was. The only window in the room was boarded up, so it could be either day or night outside.

Lily coming into the room snapped Jade out of her thoughts.

She could see that Lily was wearing a long red t-shirt, panties and socks.

"Sorry if I woke you," she smiled. "But I couldn't sleep knowing you were here."

As much as Jade was at maximum discomfort, Lily laid her body next to her and started spooning, despite Jade being on her back. She started kissing Jade's neck and further tightening her embrace.

"I missed you so, so much Jade" Lily sighed. "You have no idea."

"Why don't you tell me?" Jade asked, surprising herself at the question.

Truthfully, a small part of Jade was thinking to buy as much time as possible until she can escape...somehow. If she can just keep her talking her little head off, hopefully that may distract Lily from her more sexual urges.

"You remember that day when we met?" Lily said. "At the beach on that warm day?"

Jade didn't respond.

But Lily continued. "I do. I never told you this before but it wasn't happenstance that we met on the beach. Its been kind of a ritual of mine."

"Ritual?" asked Jade.

"Yes. You see my mom and dad took me out to the beach one day. Think I was about eight or nine, but we get there and my parents were very quiet. I remember they hardly said a word to me or each other. The car stopped and they opened the door..."

She stopped talking but Jade could feel her shirt getting wet. She was crying.

"Yeah?" Jade prodded.

"I was so excited, I just ran out...I don't know how much time went past, but I didn't even get to the wet sand before looking back and I didn't see them. I expected to see them coming but they weren't. I was so scared, Jade. I finally made it to the parking lot where we stopped and the white car was gone. I looked everywhere and there was no sign of the car."

Jade couldn't believe what she was hearing. Despite her current predicament she couldn't help but ache at the image of a young girl wandering the beach, calling out to her mother and father. They abandoned her. _They fucking abandoned her_ _and didn't look back_. And it wasn't a spur of the moment thing; they thought it out. Do it at a public place like a busy beach. Eventually she would become somebody else's problem.

"I'm sorry," Lily sniffed. "Your shirt. Anyway, I asked for help and nobody came. It began to get dark when a cop came by and took me to the station. I remember sleeping across a few chairs with a jacket for a blanket until this lady came to me and said they found me a place to stay. It was some local youth shelter. Some get adopted and some don't. But a lot of families use it as a jail for their so-called bad kids."

"It must have been terrible," Jade said sincerely.

"From when I got there, I would make a trip to the beach once a month and look for my mom and dad. I guess I never stopped hoping they were still trying to find me. But when I turned 18, I couldn't stay at the shelter anymore and I was just walking on the beach like I always did before. Then, there you were playing volleyball. You were the most beautiful...thing...I had ever seen. I don't know where the fuck I got the nerve to walk over and talk to you but we hit it off. For the first time in my life I was in love with someone."

Lily sat up and unfurled her hoodie, revealing a shaved head. She looked at Jade with intense eyes.

"Lily," Jade sighed. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry that happened to you and I shouldn't have made you feel that shitty all over again. But, things have...changed."

Her cold hand covered Jade's mouth.

"But they don't have to change. We can pick up like nothing ever happened. I told you before that I forgive you. I'm not mad that you and Katherine..." she cleared her throat, making it adamant that she wanted to avoid the shameful details. "But she atoned for what she did by reuniting us."

Jade said something but she was too muffled to be understood. So, Lily removed her hand.

"What?"

"I have to go," Jade replied.

"I already told you..."

"No!" Jade interrupted. "I meant I need to..." motioning her eyes toward the bedroom door " _go_. You know..."

Lily smacked her head and smirked.

"Oh, right right. I guess it has been a while."

She took out a knife and held it toward Jade in plain sight as she backed off of her. Then she proceeded to cut the white nylon rope around her wrist but before freeing the other hand, Lily bound the two wrists together. Then she scooted down to Jade's feet and while they were already bound together, Lily only had to loosen the rope keeping her pinned to the bed. Finally, Lily cut the final rope holding Jade's last limb to the bed post.

Now Jade was freed but severely limited in her movements. So much so she was dependent on Lily's assistance.

"How in the hell am I going to pee with my legs tied together?" Jade sneered.

"Figure it out," Lily callously responded. "Because until I can trust you again, until I know that you won't run back to that little Latina at the first opportunity, you're going to have to stay grounded."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!"

"Come on," Lily pouted. "Nobody said that we couldn't still have fun."

"SUZETTE! FREEZE!"

Lily quickly whipped around at the sound of the booming voice and brandished Jade in front of her as a human shield while keeping the knife at her throat.

"Sorry, but nobody here by that name" Lily coolly stated.

David Vega stepped ahead of his compatriots.

"Move away from Miss West."

Being the first time that Jade had ever met Tori's father, this was hardly the best of circumstances. She recognized him from pictures in Tori's room.

"Never thought I'd be thrilled to see you" Jade admitted, her penchant for dark comedy still unfettered by her situation.

"Jade, do you know this woman?" he asked.

"I thought I did..."

Lily pressed the cold metal to her flesh, causing chills to run under her skin.

"That's enough, Jade." She then looked daggers at the LAPD in the house. "You. Can't. Have. My. Jade. She. Belongs. To..."

Lily wasn't privy to the cop behind her with a taser at the ready. With the touch of a button, wires sprung from the device and implanted their receptors through Lily's shirt and into her skin. The pain of this is only a fraction of a second for the real agony comes the moment later when 20,000 volts is sent into her body like an adrenaline shot but with the reverse effect.

She dropped the hunting knife, which had the less sharp edge of the blade facing Jade and the serrated side facing outward. It was a bluff, she had no intent on harming Jade but might have taken a shot at one of the cops on duty. At the same time, the knife made a ping onto the hardwood floor just as Lily's prone body made a thump.

Without her human crutch, Jade began to fall forward but David caught her in the nick of time.

"Are you okay, Jade?"

"I'll feel better when I can get the feeling back in my ankles. Can you untie me?"

For a victim of kidnapping, Jade was more matter-of-fact than most David had seen over the years.

"Is she...?" referring to Lily's body.

"Nope," David shook his head. "We didn't give her the maximum voltage, given her body type. But we did want her knocked out long enough to tie _her_ down."

Jade looked up at her presumably ex-girlfriend's father "What about Tori? Did anything happen to her, because if she did something..."

"Tori is fine."

"Oh good," Jade sighed heavily. "She mentioned about Tori and I was worried she might have tried something."

David turned to one of the younger officers at the scene.

"Nichols, do a search of the house. There's at least another accomplice we're looking for here."

"Yes, sir."

Officers combed the house and would find two interesting pieces to the puzzle.

One, being Suzette Fremont, the owner of the house and the black BMW parked around back. She was tied up in the basement and had a bleeding head wound but was still alive. The woman looked malnourished; Lily must have kept her down here for a few days.

The other, more sad piece, was what one cop found in the nearby green dumpster. It was the body of a girl with blonde hair in her early 20's. She was dead and quite recently. Her body was taken to the hospital and search of her pockets found a drivers license that helped them ID her as Katherine Jones.

As for the woman police took down; her prints would be discovered all over the house, from the rope used to tie up the homeowner and Jade to the gun used to shoot and kill Katherine. Lily was taken into custody and processed. Given the nature of the crime scene, how bizarre it was; a psychologist was called in to evaluate her. With the capital crimes committed, a trial was imminent and the young lady identified as Lily O'Connor was to be determined whether or not she will be fit to stand trial.

Once unbound, Jade was taken by David personally to the hospital to be checked out. On the way there, he called Tori and informed her that Jade was found and is safe and she can meet them at the hospital.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for being a little abrupt here but I will make it up to you with the next chapter.**

 **Today, I'm not feeling so good. Have a sore throat among other things,**

 **Please review :-)**


	11. Confessions

**A/N: I wasn't sure how the previous chapter was going to play out. I had reservations but the response was mostly positive.**

 **Thank you guys so much. Now hopefully we can get back to some Jori goodness.**

 **Also, I have been kicking around an idea that's been bugging me for the better part of a year. It might be a little while until you see it but I just want it to be perfect. I want it to be one of the best things I have written for the site. You know me; I'm always looking for ways to improve.**

 **We have one more to go after this.**

* * *

Bruce Berman Memorial Hospital.

3:00 a.m. PST

The lobby was surprisingly dead for an ER in Los Angeles, but there are the occasional quiet nights. At least this night was meant to be. That was before a young woman was wheeled in, along with an older woman who didn't look good and another pair of young girls, one unconscious and the other deceased.

And what got the nurses and orderlies really intrigued was these four were all picked up from the same crime scene.

The latter girl, sadly, was DOA and family was notified to identify the body.

Meanwhile, hospital security was informed that the unconscious girl was tased by police and was needed to be watched constantly and restrained.

The two victims were brought in for observation, one clearly held in captivity much longer than the other.

Tori burst into the waiting area with Cat in tow. She was immediately intercepted by her father.

"Tori, hang on" he said, getting a hold of her shoulders to stop her.

His daughter was definitely crying earlier.

"Where is she?" she pleaded.

David sighed. "They're checking out Jade right now. She's alive and that's what's most important. Another girl we found, about your age, wasn't so lucky."

Tori ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the urge to claw at her scalp in frustration.

"Did she kill her?" Tori asked.

"Hard to say right now," David shrugged. "There are two parties to attest to that and the only living one hasn't fully come to yet. But I did get a statement from the older woman we found at the house."

"Yeah?"

David knew he was dealing with sensitive information that would be paramount to the impending trial. But he knew Tori could be trusted with this and besides; she was such a wreck that she needed some answers.

"The woman's name is Suzette Fremont. Apparently, she took in Lily O'Connor about two years ago. She knew her from the place they worked and felt sorry for her current situation so she offered her to live in the spare room. Little did Suzette know was her tenant was disturbed."

"Is this going to take a long time?" Tori asked. "I really want to see Jade."

"You should really get some rest. Jade could use it as well. Why don't you go home and come back in the morning. I still have to stick around for a little while longer to answer some questions before I can be relieved."

Cat took Tori's arm, "It will be okay, Tori. They found her and she's safe."

The half Latina's was at her wit's end; she was emotionally and physically exhausted. She was upset over Jade's disappearance and she wasn't going to feel okay until she could see her with her own eyes. But Tori was getting exponentially tired and incapable of arguing any more.

"Alright," she sighed. "But we come back as soon as we get up."

"We will," Cat said. "I promise."

* * *

Jade was checked out by doctors and other than the rope burns on her wrists, she had no injuries to speak of. Her biggest migraine was the general feeling of nausea between the chloroform used to knock her out and not having eaten since early last night. Nobody could do anything about the former but the latter was at least being remedied by an I.V. and some Ritz crackers washed down with warm ginger ale.

She thought about the events of that night; right from the moment that everything went wrong.

It all started with her and Tori at their most heated argument ever. It was ugly; and she actually kicked Tori out and told her it was over.

 _"How could I just do that?"_ she thought. _"I may have come to my senses but I almost lost my chance to make it right. But I can't blame Lily completely. Or Katherine. I was the one who set this whole stupid thing in motion."_

Jade pressed the button to lower her hospital bed and dimmed her room's lights.

She stared at the ceiling contemplating what to tell Tori...if she wanted her anymore.

* * *

Tori woke up on a couch and for a minute was a little thrown because she didn't know where she was.

Sitting up, she saw Cat holding a towel. She was fully dressed but she smelled like she just came out of the shower, so she was still drying her hair.

"Hey, you awake?"

Tori stretched and yawned.

"I guess any answer I give would mean yes."

Cat chuckled, "I can see that."

"What time is it?"

"About 9:15."

Tori stood up and yawned some more.

"Think visiting hours are on now?"

"They are," Cat responded. "I called."

"Okay, let's get going."

Cat said "Don't you want to get a shower first?"

Tori shook her head "Later."

"Well at least eat something. I could hear your stomach growling from my bedroom."

Tying her shoes, Tori said "Fine, we'll do coffee and donuts on the way in. Besides, I know somebody who would love a cup."

* * *

Jade woke up to the sound of someone opening the door to her room. She looked over and saw it was Mr. Vega.

"How're you holding up?" he asked.

"Still kind of crappy but I'll survive."

David sat in the chair next to Jade's bed.

"If they sent you to get my statement, somebody already did that this morning."

"I'm here purely for personal reasons. The whole case was handed over to Heinz and Stratford in homicide. I'm a little too close to the affair, the chief said, to remain objective plus they're good guys."

Jade sat up in her bed.

"Then what's up?"

"I was just curious about something and I don't want to pry; but Tori mentioned last night you two had a fight."

"Oh yeah," Jade sighed.

"I hope it was nothing too serious."

Jade looked down, unable to look at her girlfriend's father in the eye.

"Well, it snowballed pretty fast. Things were said, and they weren't exactly unwarranted. Let's just say that there was some doubt and I was trying to tell Tori that she didn't need to doubt us. But then I realized that she had every reason to doubt things."

"Jade..."

The sound of Tori snapped both of them out of their trains of thought. They saw her standing in the doorway holding a cup carrier filled with large coffees.

"Mom said you were here, so I got you one too"

"Thanks," David said taking the cup marked EXTRA/EXTRA. He always took his coffee with lots of cream and lots of sugar. "I'll leave you two alone. If you need me I will be in the gift shop."

After he left, Tori sat on Jade's bed. She reached for her hand but the Goth took it away.

"What's wrong, Jade?"

"I appreciate you coming to visit and see that I'm okay."

Tori tilted her head "You say that like you're surprised. Why wouldn't I come to..."

"You were right, Tori. I fucked over one too many hearts and this was my comeuppance."

Tori's eyes were beginning to tear up "Jade...you.."

"No! I need to get this off my chest so you just listen, please. I was young and so stupid. I was a total user. I did whatever would make them interested, I said what they needed to hear...And it felt good. Like each girl was a drug and once they ran their course and didn't do it for me anymore, I would run to the next one. It was one thing in high school because nobody gives a shit because relationships are always superficial, never something to take seriously."

"I met Lily on the summer of my senior graduation and we started kind of hot and heavy. It was the most intense relationship I ever had with a girl up until that point. But she began to change; suddenly there were little strains of something that lay underneath but it was rubbing me the wrong way. And of course, since I suck at breakups; I ran, changed my phone number and became a phantom."

Tori was looking on at Jade as she continued on.

"I really hurt her and had no idea just how much. It turned out that she was abandoned before...in the _worst way_...and when I did the same, I brought it all back to her. I made her snap and look what had happened."

"Jade, you couldn't have known..."

"I know that Katherine was killed."

That was something Tori didn't know.

"What?"

Jade nodded "They found her at the house...or rather outside the house."

It was beginning to make sense to Tori. Katherine did mention about another girl she met online. Could Lily be that person?

"Hearing about Katherine hurt the most," Jade said. "She was the one that turned my shit around. For the longest time I was able to avoid my ex-girlfriends but that day at the coffee shop I was face to face with my own mistake for the first time. I'll never forget that face; she looked so hurt, Tori. I felt absolutely horrible. Believe it or not, I didn't really date anyone after her."

That surprised Tori.

"Shortly after meeting you, I felt something I never felt before. We clicked. It was more than just a physical attraction. I was just as fascinated with the quirks of your personality as...everything else."

"I felt it, too" Tori admitted with a small smile.

Jade closed her eyes.

"I love you," the pale girl said quietly.

"What did you say?" Tori asked.

Blue green eyes met brown ones.

"I said I love you. I actually did for a while but I was scared to death of saying it. I swore to myself not to hurt anyone else again and I didn't want to do that to you. In fact, you were the very first girl I ever said I loved them."

"I am?"

"I guess to most people those three little words carry a lot of weight but to me, they're even more important. I just...couldn't figure out the best way to say it to you for the first time."

Tori reached further and took Jade's hand and would not let it go.

"Jade, its your turn to listen."

"Okay," the Goth said.

"Do you know why I wanted to wait on sex? The real reason? I've never...slept with anyone before. Anyone. I wanted to wait until I was in love, you know. It may sound silly to people, the whole saving oneself, but its just what my gut tells me."

Jade smiled. "I guess we both were being cautious because we really wanted this to be something special."

Tori kissed her head.

"What we have is more than special. And when I said I loved you a while ago, I meant it with all my heart."

Jade's eyes widened.

"And when you didn't say it back, I got really nervous. When it seemed like we were going to...you know...my mind would flash back to that night and I would panic. I never meant to give you the wrong idea."

"All this time," Jade said. "We were on the same plane."

Tori shook her head. "We talked to everyone else about how we felt but each other. How stupid is that?"

"Pretty stupid," Jade replied.

"Jade West, I love you." Tori then kissed her hand. "Do you love me, too?"

"Yes," Jade smiled.

Tori crawled into bed alongside Jade and held her tightly. And would not let go until her release later that morning.


	12. A First Time for Everything

**A/N: Last chapter.**

 **Just an FYI, working on a one-shot and outlining my next big multi-chapter fic and I want it to be a good one.**

 **See you all later ;-)**

* * *

Lily was tried and convicted for first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. She was admitted into a maximum security psychiatric facility upstate where she will remain until her parole in 25 years.

When her attorney was giving his closing arguments, Lily stood and apologized to everyone she had hurt for her actions. She knows she isn't well and is prepared to accept the consequences for what she did.

"Are you okay?" Tori asked as she stroked Jade's hair on the couch as they witnessed the verdict on TV.

The Goth sighed, "Not really. I feel bad for Lily."

"Do you think she'll get the help she needs?"

"I don't know. I'd like to think she will. It wasn't fair what happened to her, you know? Or Katherine."

Tori hugged her girlfriend.

"I know, babe. But I'm glad you're safe. Really makes you think doesn't it?"

Jade turned herself over so that she was face to face with Tori.

"What do you mean?"

Tori sighed, "How fragile all this is. Life. One moment you're here and the next..." She began to tear up. "Jade, I was so scared for you that night. And if anything did happen, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself. Not just from that I felt I could've helped instead of leaving you alone. But also, the last thing we did was fight. I don't think I could handle that as the last memory of us."

Jade slid her pale hand behind Tori's neck and brought her in for a kiss.

"I guess we need to make a promise to cherish every moment while we can," Jade said.

"But what if we fight again?" Tori asked.

"Simple," Jade smiled softly. "We work it out by any means and we never leave until we do. Every time I ever leave you, I want to say I love you. So if anything _does_ happen, and I'm not saying it will, you will have the serenity that the last things we said to each other was we loved the other."

The half Latina wiped her eyes, smiling.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere. But I want to tell you right now that I love you anyway."

Jade rubbed Tori's cheek with the back of her hand, feeling her soft skin.

"And I love you, Tori Vega."

* * *

A few days later, Jade was walking home from class. She had an extra spring in her step because she got a text from Tori that she had let herself in and was waiting for her. Jade turned the corner and went into her building. She ascended the stairs and got out her key. She had told Tori that if she is by herself that she would lock the door. And she agreed to do the same. It gave both girls peace of mind.

She opened the door closed it behind her.

"Tori?"

Jade walked through the living room.

"Tori?"

"In here!" came a familiar voice from the bedroom.

The dark-haired girl burst through the door expecting to begin a long tangent about her day when her mind went blank and words failed to come out.

Tori was in Jade's bed, which is nothing new, but this was different. She was sitting up holding the covers up to her neck.

"Hey," she smiled, blushing.

Jade was beginning to take in the scene. The shade was down and there were candles lit around the room. And clothes were strewn about on the floor near the bed.

"What's going on?" Jade asked, still unable to close her mouth out of surprise.

The half Latina lowered the covers exposing her shoulders but doing her best to stay hidden. Holding them with one hand, she used the other briefly brush her hair back. The meek girl wasn't sure how to be the aggressor; this was uncharted territory for her. Little did Jade know Tori was sitting in this bed, naked, for last hour debating whether or not she should go through with this.

But it wasn't just here.

This scenario was percolating in the back of her mind for some time now; fantasizing of the perfect thing to do or say. She knew she was smart enough to understand that real life isn't like in a story or in a movie. That didn't stop Tori from racking her brain trying to figure out the best way possible to mark this new plateau in their relationship. It wasn't just Tori's first time; it was also Jade's most serious relationship to date.

After this there was no turning back. Once her and Jade became intimate, that was that. Tori had been avoiding it for the longest time because she wasn't sure what the future would bring. She had to be sure that Jade was going to stick around and finally, she was certain. Certain enough to pull a stunt like this. Tori actually feared Jade would bring over a friend or classmate or worse, a relative and prayed that wouldn't happen.

But it had worked out up to this point. Jade was alone. And boy was she surprised.

"I'm actually...pretty cold" Tori said, trying to be coy. "But my clothes are all the way over there" she nodded indicating the pile on the floor. "Could you come over here and help keep me warm?" Tori then fluttered her eyes for effect. She had taken her glasses off so she was trying to gauge Jade's reaction. Her voice, general shape and shampoo gave away that it was her.

Jade smiled and kicked off her boots, "Okay. But I hear its best when both are nude. Is that...alright?"

"It would make what I want to do very difficult if you didn't" the tan girl replied.

"Aren't we a saucy minx today?" Jade raised an eyebrow as she unzipped her jeans and slipped them off. "What's gotten into you?"

Tori narrowed her eyes, still trying to see a little better but she did her best to look seductive with her tongue touching her top lip.

"Nothing has gotten into me" she winked. "Yet..."

Those words made Jade move like somebody had hit fast forward on the remote. Because her top came right off.

"Stop," Tori pointed.

"What's up?" Jade asked, standing stiff.

She wiggled her finger asking her to come closer. Jade obliged and now within inches of her, Tori threw the covers off of her.

Now she was completely exposed, on her knees. Jade couldn't fathom how someone could be so gorgeously tan all over unless they were born into such lovely skin. Her hips were as pronounced as her cheek bones that they way she reclined made it look like her core of aroused passion had found its target. Jade's eyes were also drawn to Tori's pert breasts; understated but perfectly round with dark nipples that stood a tip-toe ready for action.

"I...I..oh wow" Jade blurted out.

"I didn't want to be the one to have all the fun so now you do a little strip tease for me."

The Goth shrugged, "Okay."

She bent over in an exaggerated fashion to remove her panties, knowing full well that she was giving Tori a view of her cleavage. And what a view, indeed. Brown eyes couldn't help but study the large mounds that undulated proudly with Jade's every movement. Then Jade stood back up and turned around, showing off her uncovered assets as she unhooked her bra. Tori couldn't help herself and got on all fours and planted her pouty lips on Jade' behind. The pale girl turned around, causing her to whip her hair and her now unhinged chest to bounce freely.

"You kiss your girlfriend with that mouth?" Jade asked in her best sexy tone.

"Can't help it," Tori replied. "I love kissing your cheeks. Both sets," she blushed.

Jade blushed a little herself as she climbed into bed, feeling her natural self against Tori's own body. As their legs and arms enveloped one another, the girls couldn't help but feel blissful like they were on some kind of a drug.

The kissed passionately, savoring every warm and wet moment of it.

"You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?" asked Jade.

Tori looked relaxed and then a little worried.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm not sure where to begin exactly" Tori admitted.

Jade cupped her face.

"You're absolutely sure you want to do this?" Jade asked.

"I've never been more sure than right now," Tori smiled.

"Then find a favorite pillow and hold on tight."

"Why?"

Jade rolled on top of Tori and began kissing her toned stomach. She continued to kiss her way down Tori until he came across her pussy which was dying of anticipation.

"Because I'm about to show you what I can do with _my_ mouth."

It was the perfect beginning to Tori's... _initiation_.

And the best part was there would be much more where that came from. Because Jade wasn't going anywhere. It wouldn't be until later on that she would confess to Tori that between her legs is easily her favorite place in the world right now.

* * *

 **A/N: As first times go, who could ask for more?**

 **I was debating about whether I wanted to write a full love scene but I figured the story was building up to this point and I didn't want to be anti-climactic (see what I did there?)**


End file.
